


Ring of Peonies

by pandorabox82



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Fairy Tale Retellings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:56:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 34
Words: 45,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23771194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandorabox82/pseuds/pandorabox82
Summary: After Haley's brutal death, Hotch heads to Rossi's cabin to find some peace and healing with his family. A strange statue across the lake proves to him that magic is real, and love can take root in his heart once more.
Relationships: Aaron Hotchner/Erin Strauss
Kudos: 23





	1. Chapter 1

Erin paced fretfully across the floor as she watched the clock hands tick move ever steadily towards midnight. When the curse had first been laid upon their youngest daughter, she had never dreamed that when Tabitha would turn sixteen, the country would be in the middle of a civil war, that it would have been raging for three years, and she would be left alone to fend for herself and her children as their normal way of life had crumbled around her feet. She desperately wished that Mark had been able to acquire leave in order to help her find a way, even this close to the deadline, to mitigate or dispel the curse. But it had been nearly three months since she had last had word of his battalion and she feared the worst.

"Mama?"

She looked up to see her baby girl coming into the library and over to her side, a sad look on her face. She knew that Mark wouldn't have agreed with her telling Tabitha about the curse that she had managed to have laid upon them when she had been born. "Hello, darling. You should be sleeping."

"How can I sleep when I know that this is probably the last moment I'll ever see you alive again? I've already said my goodbye's to Karen and Bruce, but I wanted to spend my last few hours with you."

Her daughter began to cry openly, and Erin held out her arms, allowing her to run over and hug her tightly. As she closed her arms around Tabitha, Erin struggled to hold her tears inside, knowing that if she started to sob, she'd never be able to stop, and she wanted to put on a brave face for her daughter. "I'm still trying to think of a way to break the curse. There has to be something that I can do to atone for my mistake."

"You did everything you could, Mama, and besides, at least this way you'll know I've made it through this awful war alive, and that one day I'll find true love, even if it takes a different form than yours."

Erin nodded as she stepped away from Tabitha, framing her face with her hands as she stared into her daughter's soft grey eyes that reminded her so much of Mark. "But I don't want you to spend God knows how many years trapped in a vessel of stone, separated from your siblings." Tabitha shrugged a little as she drifted over to the bookshelf that contained her favorite books, pulling out a well-worn copy of _Pride and Prejudice_ before she took a seat on the settee and began to read.

Letting out a little sigh, Erin drifted over to the settee and took a seat next to her daughter, pulling out the pins that held her hair up and running her fingers through the long tresses to remove any lingering tangles before fashioning it into the crown of braids that always looked so elegant on her. "When I wake up, I'll still have a little piece of you with me now."

"Just as I'll always have a little piece of you with me, forever," she replied as she touched the locket that was pinned to her bodice. Inside, there were cuttings of hair from each of her three children, and a picture of Mark. "This will always remind me of the time when we were a family of five." Tabitha nodded as she leaned back against Erin, and they both lapsed into silence as her daughter read. Too soon, much too soon, the clock on the mantle began to ring out the chimes, and she struggled not to count to twelve, knowing that with the last one, they would be visited by the same witch who had cursed her seventeen years ago now, on the date of Tabitha's christening.

A violent shudder tore through her body as they heard the front door to their home open and close heavily before the sound of footsteps heading towards them filled her ears. Unconsciously, she tightened one hand protectively around Tabitha's shoulder, as if that would save her child from the fate she was about to meet. "I see that you've already told your daughter about what's going to happen to her."

The voice was exactly as she remembered it, and when Erin finally was able to tear her eyes away from her daughter, she could see that the woman also appeared to look exactly the same as well. "I thought that it would be better if she knew what was going to happen, rather than surprise her with the bitter truth when you arrived."

"Then you are smarter than many of the women I've made bargains with. Are you ready to meet your fate, Tabitha?"

Erin frowned as she clung to her daughter, shaking her head a little. "There has to be a way to save her from this. I would do anything."

The witch woman fixed her gaze on Erin, and she tried not to shiver again at the cold, calculating, look in her eyes. She had known that begging the woman for her daughter's life when she had been in labor with Tabitha would lead to bitter consequences, but now that the time to pay was here, she wanted to change the deal. She wanted her daughter to live. "Anything, Erin?"

"Yes," she replied without hesitation.

"Very well, I will transfer the curse I laid upon Tabitha at her christening onto you."

"Mama, no! We need you, they need you!"

She pressed her lips to the top of Tabitha's head before gently pushing her daughter away from her so that she could stand and face the woman eye to eye. "If I take on the curse myself, I want you to promise me something."

"You are a bold piece of brass, aren't you?"

"I can afford to be when we're talking about my life. I want you to promise me that they will come out of this war unscathed. Even if Mark doesn't come back from this war, I want them to safe." The first scalding tears splashed against her face as she held the woman's gaze, willing her to agree to the new caveat. Finally, the witch woman blinked first and nodded, and Erin felt all the air escape her lungs in a woosh of relief as she staggered forward. "Thank you."

"Do not thank me, Erin. You have no idea what the future will hold, for any of them."

"I don't need to. You promised me they'd be safe, and that's all that matters." Squaring her shoulders, she turned to look at Tabitha and gave her daughter a tender smile. "This way you can live with your siblings, and your father, if he comes home from this damned war. I love you, my sweet daughter. Now, I know exactly where I want to be until true love finds me." In the back of her mind, she knew that it wouldn't be that long until the War was over, and Mark would be home, and he would kiss her and break the curse. But she couldn't tell Tabitha that, since that would ruin her plan of desperation.

"What, you don't wish to remain in this house until the end of the War?"

Erin tried to keep her face neutral as she shook her head. "I want to be in my favorite spot on our property. The willow tree by the lake, where I can watch the sun rise every morning." The witch woman nodded her head as she gestured for Erin to lead the way, and she hurriedly hugged Tabitha before whispering in her ear. "Don't follow us, I don't want you to see what happens. But you know where I'll be, okay?" Her daughter nodded and Erin kissed her cheek softly before leaving the house and making her way down to the lake and her willow. This was the tree where Mark had asked her to marry him, where she had told him that they were having their babies, and it was a familiar, comforting, spot. "All right, before I lose my nerve."

The witch woman nodded and Erin listened to her chant lowly as a queer sensation began to tingle at her feet. She glanced down and gasped a little as she watched grey stone begin to encase her feet and then her dress, turning her into a living statue. Not wanting the expression on her face to be one of sorrow and fear, she deliberately took a few deep breaths, calming her spirit before she tried to place a placid smile on her lips. The last thing that she was conscious of was the sight of her daughter's face, and the smile wobbled on her lips before she could see no more.


	2. Chapter 2

Aaron sighed as he packed his last bag. Dave had offered him use of the cabin while he had to take a two month leave of absence from the BAU. There were still moments when he didn't really remember that Haley had been murdered, that they had been too late to save her from the Reaper, and while he had tried to jump right back into work, to go back to normal, their Section Chief had decided that he was not fit for work and had forced him into this leave. Thankfully, Jessica had agreed to help watch Jack during that time, since he felt like he was still going through the motions with his life, and was going to meet him up there.

Looking around the apartment, he let out a sigh, hoping that Dave's movers would be able to get everything back into the house by the time they returned, and then he left the apartment, locking the door behind him before heading down to his car and placed the bags in the back seat. It was going to be a long drive, and a part of him hoped that Garcia would call and interrupt the monotony, since she was so good at that. After twenty minutes on the road, she must have heard his wish, as he heard her ringtone jangle from his phone.

Pressing the Bluetooth button on his steering wheel, Aaron answered the call, and smiled to hear her voice tumble out of his speakers. "Boss Man! The team is out trying to catch another bad guy, so I thought that I'd occupy both our time while I'm waiting for them to call asking for information. I'm glad that Jessica is going to be with you at the cabin. It has to be hard for her, too, losing her sister."

"Yes. I wish that there was more that I could do for her, but this will help us both out, since it gives Jack a familiar face to latch onto as we grow accustomed to each other once more. I've missed so much in his life."

"Not all of that was your fault."

"I know, but I still feel heavy amounts of guilt. Even though Haley and I had divorced, I still thought that perhaps we'd find our way back to each other once more."

He heard the woman sigh lightly. "That is so romantic, Hotch. I am going to miss having you here, though. Rossi's trying, but he's no you, and Cruz just wouldn't listen to us when we told him that we could look out for you, and make certain that another Gideon incident didn't happen."

Aaron let out a soft chuckle as he shook his head and turned onto the highway, picking up speed as he merged with traffic. "Well, we didn't exactly handle things well when the team went to Milwaukee and he chose to ride along with you all, since I was suspended alongside Gideon."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. But still, we take care of our own!"

"And I love that about our team. But, I do think that Cruz is right, in a weird way. I need this time to reconnect with Jack and Jessica, and can hopefully return to the BAU with my internal battery recharged. I wish that I wasn't banished for two months, but I have the feeling that if I argued, it would have been extended into an involuntary leave."

"Those can be worked around!"

"Cruz caught onto you when you did that in Milwaukee, I don't think he'd fall for that again."

"I hate when you're right. Well, have fun exploring Rossi's property. I think that he owns about two hundred acres there, if my research is correct. And before you ask, it is all public information! There used to be an old plantation house there, but it was destroyed near the end of the war, so maybe you can find the foundation while you're there. If you do, you so need to call me, and I'll take some leave and go exploring with you."

"If that happens, you will be the first to know what I've found. And I'm certain that Jack would love a visit from his Auntie Penelope." He was going to say more when he heard her work phone ring, and he knew that she had to go. "I'll call you when I arrive?"

"Sounds good, Hotch. Stay safe out there!"

And before he could say another word, she was gone, and he was driving alone once more. Turning up the radio, he listened to it for as long as the station lasted before changing to the music that was on his phone. When he arrived at Rossi's place four hours later, he found that Jessica had already arrived, and he smiled when his son ran out onto the porch, an excited grin on his lips as he threw himself into Aaron's arms and held on tightly.

"I'm glad that you arrived safely, Aaron. We just finished eating lunch, but I saved you some in the fridge if you're hungry."

"Thanks, Jess. Did you manage to get here without any trouble?"

"We did. There was a bit of a kerfluffle when I thought that I had left Bunbun behind, but then I saw Jack holding him. I know that things would have been interesting come bedtime if he had been left at home." He nodded as they went inside and he felt himself relax a little at the soothing feel of the cabin. "This is a really nice place, Aaron. I can't believe that Dave let you have this for two months!"

"He's a wonderful mentor and friend, and he said that since he wouldn't have time to use it, what with me being off, I might as well get use out it. The only thing we have to do is clean before we go home, which shouldn't be that difficult. Have you picked out rooms for us yet?"

"I thought that you might like to choose yours, and we could go from there?"

He gave Jessica a small nod before hitching his bag up onto his shoulder a little more and heading towards the stairs. Jack squirmed a little in his arms and he gently set him down so that he could scamper up the stairs ahead of them. Shaking his head a little, Aaron started after his son, taking a look around at his surroundings as they went upstairs. Aaron had the feeling that Dave's room would be the only with the best morning light, so he turned to his left and opened the first door he came to, revealing a large bedroom. "I think that I'll sleep here with Jack," he said as he looked over his shoulder at Jessica. "I'm assuming that the guest bedroom is either the door on the right or across the hall. Though knowing Rossi, it's most likely the one next door."

Jessica blushed a little as she nodded, having caught the undercurrent to his words. "Well, I suppose that will have to do, then," she murmured as she backed out of the master bedroom. "After I put my things away, I'm going to explore the house more. When I was told this was a cabin, I was expecting something a little more rustic, not a mansion in the woods."

"There are perks to being a famous author," he replied as he dropped his bags to the floor and made his way over to the window, staring out at the lake and hoping that the time he spent here, with his son and sister in law, would lead to his heart recovering from the loss of his ex-wife. Otherwise, there would be no point in returning to his previous way of life, and he didn't want to think about what the future might hold if that was true.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, Aaron woke up to find Jack sprawled out on top of his body, his little head buried into the crook of his neck. His mouth was open, blowing moist air onto his neck, and he let out a little sigh as he tried to slip out from under him without waking Jack up. It took him a few minutes to get out from under his son, and then he was letting out the breath he had been holding as he padded over to the dresser and pulled out fresh clothes for the day.

Assuming that Jack would sleep through his shower, Aaron went into the master bathroom and stripped off his pyjamas before stepping into the shower and turning the water on. He had slept surprisingly well, even with having Jack cuddled up as close as possible to him from the outset of the night, and there was a new lightness to his heart that he hadn't expected, and he wondered if that was due to the knowledge that he had two whole months to spend with Jack before he had to return to the BAU. He thoughts tumbled around inside his mind as he washed the dust of the previous day's travel off his body.

Once he felt clean, he got out of the shower and finished getting ready for the day before checking back in on Jack. He was still sleeping, and Aaron smiled before quietly leaving the room and going down to the kitchen. Jessica was already up and putting together breakfast, and he smiled as he went over to her side. "So, what's on the menu this morning?"

"I was thinking about making pancakes and bacon? I'll make muffins after breakfast, but this is better than just cereal. What are your plans for today?"

He took a deep breath as he considered that question. Aaron hadn't given much thought to that, since there had never really been a time that was his own before. "If you don't mind watching Jack this morning, I'd like to explore the grounds a little bit. While I've long heard about the cabin, I've never had a chance to get up here before. And I'd like to see if there are any spots that I should worry about if he wants to play outside by himself. I mean, there is the lake to consider, but I need to know if there is any other hazard."

"Well, I suppose that I could teach him to how to bake. It's a skill that every child should have." She gave him a small smile as he nodded. "Though you could help me now by setting the table."

"Of course." Aaron peeked through the cupboards until he had found the plates and cups and then he set the table before heading up to get Jack. He was still sleeping, so Aaron gently woke him by shaking his shoulder. "Hey, buddy, Aunt Jessica's made breakfast, and all that's missing is you! You get to wear your pyjamas to breakfast today, and then help her make muffins."

Jack rubbed his eyes tiredly as he nodded, lifting his arms up. Aaron picked him up and carried him down to the kitchen, finding everything ready for them by the time he returned. "Aunt Jessica!" he called out as he pushed away from Aaron, and he tried not to feel put out at being rejected in that manner, since he knew that it would take time for Jack to get used to being around him all the time once more. Still, breakfast was a little stilted, and he found himself looking forward to getting outside and exploring the grounds, to find out more about this place that Rossi called his second home.

"All right, I'm heading out now. If you need me, just poke your head out and yell. I should be able to hear you." Jessica nodded with a smile and he leaned over to kiss Jack's cheek before getting up from the table and heading out to the foyer, stepping into his shoes before heading outside and making a beeline for the lake. As he stepped onto the dock, Aaron looked around the property and felt his heart filled by the beauty of his surroundings.

And then, across the way, his eye caught the sight of what appeared to be a statue across the way. Dave had never mentioned anything like that, but since he couldn't come up here all the time, he didn't know how much in depth exploring he had ever done. Intrigued, Aaron began to blaze a path around the lake, taking care not to go too fast, as he didn't want to disturb any snakes or get stung. That would be a wonderful start to this adventure, and he frowned as he noticed that there wasn't really any hint of something that could attack him. That seemed unusual for the area, but he went with it, needing to find out what he had seen.

Finally, he was standing next to a large willow tree, and he began to understand how Rossi might not have noticed the statue before, since the branches dragged into the water, obscuring most of the stonework unless the wind blew the right way. A wry smile crossed his lips when he saw that the statue was of a rather beautiful woman maybe five years older than himself. Her hair was sculpted into an elaborate braided crown, and he marveled at the detail work present, as he had never seen anything quite that elaborate before. The rest of the statue was carved in just as much detail, from the slight flat spot on the bridge of her nose to the folds of her skirt that were pulled back from a pair of dainty shoes that were placed on a small round of marble.

"Who were you?" he asked as he reached out to run his fingers along the white marble of her arm, finding it quite warm to the touch, and for just a moment, he could almost swear that she had been alive at one point. There was something about the expression on her face, so wistful, so full of yearning, that he felt like there was no way marble could be shaped into something that fine. "Why would someone leave so beautiful a statue out in the elements?"

Though he knew that the statue couldn't answer him, he still had the silly idea that the marble woman could hear him and respond. Shaking his head, Aaron sank down onto the grass, finding it peculiarly well groomed despite the appearance of the statue being abandoned for who knew how many years. Pulling out his phone, he scrolled through his messages before opening up his thread with Penelope and taking a picture of the statue before sending it along to Penelope.

_I found this beauty on Rossi's property. In your spare time, could you do some research and perhaps find out who the sculptor was and just why something so lovely would be left abandoned on this property? But don't tell Dave yet. I want to have a good yarn to tell him when I get back to the office. I hope that you're having a good day so far, and I'll talk to you soon. Aaron_

After sending off the text, Aaron slipped his phone back into his pocket and reclined against willow so that he could gaze at the statue, finding himself daydreaming up an entire backstory for the woman depicted, even though he had no idea who was being depicted in marble.


	4. Chapter 4

"Did you find anything intriguing on your explorations?" Jessica asked when he finally came back in the house. He shrugged a little as he frowned before taking a seat on the other end of the sofa. "I think that you did, and you don't know what to make of it. Haley often told me that that was one of those tells you have."

He chuckled a little as he settled back against the comfortable cushions. "I don't have any solid leads yet, Penelope is still working on finding details out for me, but there was something interesting that I found. I know this cabin of Dave's is old."

"Yeah, it was definitely built before the Civil War. I found some graffiti on the wall in the pantry while I was looking for ingredients to make supper."

He nodded before continuing. "Yes. Well, across the lake, there's this gorgeous old willow tree that I would swear is as old as the house, but still looks healthy. And under that tree is the statue of a woman. I think that she's dressed in clothing of the era, but I couldn't say for certain. History was never my strong suit in school."

Pulling out his phone, Aaron called up the picture he'd taken of the statue and showed it to Jessica. She whistled lowly as she zoomed in on the details. "This is an amazingly detailed statue," she finally said as she handed the phone back to him.

"I know, which is why I sent the picture to Penelope, to see if she could find out any more details about this place or who might have carved the statue and left her out in wild. You have to go out there and touch her. The marble retains so much warmth from the sun that you would swear she could get up from the pedestal she's on and talk to you."

He knew that he was romanticizing the situation a bit, but that was how he truly felt in that moment. The mystery of something so beautiful appearing almost out of thin air called to his spirit, and he waited for her to scold him for thinking something so outlandish. "It's almost like that ancient myth, except you didn't sculpt the statue before breathing life into it," she finally replied, giving him a small wink. He shrugged once more as he took the phone back from her hand and slipped it into his pocket. "But given the highly detailed nature of that sculpture, I don't blame you for believing that she might come alive. I almost believe it myself."

"It's good to know that I'm not going completely crazy," he finally said as he got back to his feet and went over to the shelves filled with books. Though there was a good chance that Rossi had bought them all, for some reason he had the feeling that they belonged with the house, and he pulled out a well-read copy of _Pride and Prejudice_. It had been Haley's favorite book, and finding it here on the shelves comforted him a little. Now was the perfect time to finally read it and find a new connection to his fallen wife.

Losing himself in the story, he barely noticed when Jessica left the room or when she returned with food for them, setting it down on the coffee table before bringing Jack into the library as well. "It's time to eat, Aaron. You can read more afterwards. Or find a way to take Jack out on the lake, since he has been asking about that since you went exploring. It is a perfect day for a boat ride."

"Do you want to go with us?" he asked as he placed a piece of scrap paper in the book to mark his place before setting it aside and picking up his plate and beginning to eat.

"I think I do. I just hope that Rossi keeps lifejackets here, too."

He nodded as they ate, listening to Jack chatter on about the muffins he had helped his aunt make. "The batter was really yummy, Daddy! It's too bad that you missed it."

"Sometimes that happens, Jackers. I did manage to find something while I was outside, and maybe I can show it to you tomorrow."

Jack grinned at him as he nodded before turning his attention back to devouring his food. Aaron once more felt so at peace with his surroundings, and he actually began to find himself grateful for the fact that Cruz had basically ordered him to take this time off, even if he did think that two months was going to be an excessively long time to be away from work. He tried to dismiss the fact that Jason had taken a six month leave of absence after his encounter with Adrian Bale, and that Elle's own brush with death had led to a four month leave to try and pick up the pieces of her life following with Randall Gardner.

"All right, Jack. Go wash your hands while we take care of the dishes, and then we'll see about getting the boat on the lake?"

Jack hurriedly clambered to his feet and raced out of the room and up the stairs to the bathroom while Jessica and Aaron took a slowly pace as they gathered up the dishes and brought them to the sink. "The boat is tied up to the dock. It's almost like Dave knew that we'd want to take it out while we're here. I hope you don't mind using your own horse power, there isn't a motor attached to it."

"That will be fine, it will help get my arms into shape. Maybe by the time we leave here, I'll be a lot stringer!" Jessica gave him a small wink as they went outside and down to the dock. As he untied the mooring line from the dock, Jessica pushed it into the water before climbing into it. "Check in the garage, that's where I saw the lifejackets earlier," she called out as she picked up the oars and began to test them out.

Aaron nodded as he jogged back up to the cabin before heading over to the detached garage and searching the shelves there until he had come up with a child's sized lifejacket for Jack. He hoped that Jessica knew how to swim, since she hadn't asked for one, and he thought that he wouldn't need one for the short journey they would have on the lake. As he reached the dock once more, he saw that Jack was out there, chattering away with Jessica. "Hey, buddy, we just have to put this on you, and then we can get out on the water, okay?"

Jack looked up at him, the smile on his lips reminding him so much of Haley that it hurt. Hurriedly, he got the lifejacket adjusted correctly for his son, and then he was lifting him down into the boat before joining them, taking care to not tip the boat and dump them all in the water before their fun had even begun. Motioning for the oars, he was surprised to find Jessica shaking her head as she expertly rowed them out towards the middle of the lake. While she worked the oars, Aaron found his attention drifting towards the willow and the statue of the woman who's expression matched the sadness that his heart felt. He hoped that Penelope would be able to uncover more of the properties history so that he could put to rest the questions swirling around in his mind and he could focus more on his son and moving on from the tragedy of Haley's murder.


	5. Chapter 5

"Thanks for making me lunch, Jess," Aaron said as he grabbed the bag that she had set on the counter before tucking the copy of _Pride and Prejudice_ beneath his arm as he grabbed the bottle of water and headed out for the lake. This had become their routine for the last two weeks, mornings spent with Jack playing in the yard, getting to know each other once more, bonding in the way he had hoped they would, while his afternoons were spent across the lake, next to the statue.

"You find solace at the feet of the statue, and I can't begrudge you that. I just hope that you can eventually find a way to walk forward without having to return to the comfort of cold marble."

He nodded as he leaned in to ghost his lips against her cheek. "I will keep that in mind. See you in a few hours." Jessica cocked her head to one side, smiling sadly at him as he turned and left the house, his steps picking up speed until he was jogging over to the statue's side and sliding down onto the ground beside her. "I know that Jessica thinks I'm going a bit loopy, coming out here every day to talk to you, but there is something soothing about knowing that I can just talk and let out all these dark feelings and not worry about you judging me. Even though your expression remains sad, will always remain sad, I know that some day I will be able to change the expression on my face."

Aaron set the food and book aside as he began to cut a few of the peonies that ringed both statue and willow tree. The blowsy blooms seemed perfect for the woman, for some reason, and he quickly braided them into a crown for her head. Getting to his feet, Aaron gently placed the creation atop her braids before looking at his handiwork. "I wish that Penelope had been able to find out who you were. But after the war ended, when the man who owned this home didn't return, his children disappeared into the ether of history. Either they had no children of their own, or she wasn't able to trace the lineages to the correct people. I guess I always thought that she could find anything, since she's so good with computers."

Stepping back from the statue a little, he reached out to caress the stone face, letting his thumb run along the curve of her cheek. "I wonder, if you were ever alive, if we had been in the same time, if we would have been friends? There's something about your features that calls to me. But Haley would have said that's because I'm drawn to all things beautiful. I'd like to think that your dress would have been a deep periwinkle. I don't know why that color comes to mind, but it does."

Letting out a deep sigh, he took a seat once more and picked up the book, opening it to a well-loved passage and starting to read. He smiled to see the notes from a distinctively feminine hand on the page, and a part of him couldn't help but wonder if the previous owner of the home had been the one to write down those little things that had struck her about the text. As he continued to read, a warm breeze began to stir across the lake and he swore that he could smell a stronger scent of peonies on the air. Glancing up, he blinked a few times, feeling like his eyes were playing tricks on him. For just a moment, he had almost thought that the folds of the statue's dress had moved in the breeze. Which was impossible, because stone did not move like fabric. Still, as he took a look at the statue's feet, he realized that suddenly he could see her shoes, whereas before the skirt of the dress had reached the stone circle that she was standing on.

"Your grief is making you odd, Hotchner," he muttered to himself as he tried to lose himself in Austen's words once more, finding the story less captivating than it had previously been, his mind continuing to wander back to the mystery of the change in the statue. "But I suppose that there's only one way to solve this conundrum."

Pulling out his phone, he opened up his text messages and tapped on Penelope's name, calling up their conversation thread. Tapping on the picture he had sent her of the statue, he gasped a little to see that he wasn't going mad, the statue truly had changed, for the picture that he had sent Penelope on the day he had discovered the mysterious statue showed the hem of her skirt touching the ground. Frowning, he knew that he wouldn't be able to think of anything other than the seemingly impossible change that had occurred. A part of him knew that he had to keep this to himself, since no one, not even Penelope, would believe that he was fully sane, that grief had not finally driven him around the bend.

Still, he knew that he had to find out more about the mythology of living statues, since Jessica had mentioned something like that the day he had found his stone woman. Picking his phone back up, he touched Penelope's name and brought the device to his ear, listening to the call connect. "Boss Man! How are you enjoying your time up at the cabin?"

"It is definitely refreshing. But…"

"Yes?" she asked, that one word full of concern. He must have paused too long because he heard her draw in a deep breath before she spoke once more. "Is something wrong? Do you need one of us to come up there and spell Jessica? I can work from the cabin, if she needs to get back to things."

"No, nothing like that, Penelope. Though Jack might be glad to see you, if you wanted to visit us here on Saturday."

"I think that I could arrange that. Just me, or the whole team?"

"Just you. It would be a bit overwhelming for everyone to be here, for Jack. Anyway, I have another favor to ask you."

"Your favors are my favorite to complete, Aaron. What do you need?"

He paused once more, looking up at the statue as he tried to formulate the question without giving himself away. "Jessica made a joke when I first found my mystery statue about there being a myth that deals with statues coming to life. I told her that whoever carved this woman out of marble made her look so lifelike that I thought she would step off her pedestal and talk to me. Which I know is impossible, before you tease me to. But I've never heard of such a myth. Would you mind digging into that and sending me any results that you might find?"

"Oh, I don't even really need to do research for that, Hotch! My name is Penelope, my system is named Persephone, I have more than a passing understanding of Greek mythology and legend. If I were a betting woman, I would say that Jessica was thinking about the legend of Pygmalion the sculptor who fell in love with the statue he had created, and after wishing for a wife at the altar of Aphrodite, received his wish when upon kissing said statue, she came to life."

"Interesting," he murmured, listening to her giggle a little on the other end of the line. "What?"

"Well, you could always try kissing your statue to see if she comes alive for you. I mean, there is still magic in this world, after all."

"Not magic large enough to heal a broken heart," he replied quietly, regretting bringing the mood down between them. "But who know, you can only learn by trying, right?"

"Right. And if your lips create magic, well, you'll have to kiss me and give me a blessing for the future. Now, I have to go and give information to your team, but I will look forward to seeing you all Saturday and finally getting to see this statue of yours in real life."

"Until Saturday," he replied before they said their goodbyes, and then he was once more staring up at the stone woman, wondering if he should be so bold as to try kissing it before heading back to the house. Instead, he shook his head and settled back against the trunk of the willow and ate his lunch, mulling over what Penelope had told him and wondering if such a thing could ever be true.


	6. Chapter 6

"Jack just went down for a nap, which means that we are free to look at your statue now," Penelope said as she came back into the living room.

"Just give me one second to finish this email to Cruz. He wanted an update on how I was feeling." Penelope blushed a little guiltily, and he narrowed his eyes a little at her. "What did you do?"

"Nothing! I just told him that you have the propensity to get bored when you're forced to do nothing. I remember your recovery from when Foyet attacked you. So, I asked him to keep checking in with you, just in case you felt ready to get back into the swing of things a little early!" She took a deep breath as she glanced away from him to look out the window as her shoulders dropped. "And I know it's only been three weeks, but I miss you. Sure, I have Derek to banter with, and Rossi to flirt with, but you're my lodestone, the one who can keep me on an even keel when I feel like everything is going to hell. Why do you think I asked to join the BAU in the first place, after you caught me? Because I knew that you would be the one who could help keep me honest. And then I grew to like honest, even if I do cause a little mischief at times still."

"I will pretend I didn't hear the last part of that sentence," Aaron replied as he got to his feet, holding out his arm to Penelope. It didn't surprise him in the least when she slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow and they went outside together like that. There was something comforting about that trusting weight on his arm, like he finally had the little sister that he had always hoped for. Jessica was too self-sufficient to ever rely on him like this, and besides, she was older than Haley, who had been a year older than him. "And while I am coming back to work, I think that I will take the whole two months. There's something about being here, away from the pressures of work, that has helped me heal. I suppose that Cruz was right. And Gideon and Greenaway took even longer leaves of absence after their own traumatic incidents."

"All right, but that still doesn't mean I have to like it," she conceded as they started along the path he had worn in the grass over the last three weeks. Now that he was about to share his statue with someone else, he found that he was nervous about things. He was surprised to find that he had become rather protective of the stone woman over the weeks, refreshing her flower crown every time the blooms wilted. He wasn't entirely certain why he felt the need to do so, just that it made him feel right for some reason. "I need to see your phone, Hotch."

He frowned at her as he pulled it out of his pocket. "Why?"

"Because there is something seriously wrong with the colors of the pictures you've sent me. I expected to see white marble, not this." She gestured towards his statue and he tired to look at it from her perspective, feeling his fingers grow a little numb as he saw what she was talking about. The carved dress the woman was wearing had deepened into the periwinkle of his thoughts, though the cuffs were white lace. He could even see that there was a pattern in a deeper blue that almost appeared to be stitched into the stone, though that was fairly impossible.

"She, she wasn't this color yesterday. Or at least, I don't think that she was," he murmured as he drifted away from Penelope and up to his statue, reaching out to run his hand up and down her arm, a part of him almost believing that he would feel fabric rather than warm stone. "But she looks beautiful like this. Is there anything that you know of that would cause coloration like this?"

Penelope came up to his side and shook her head. "There is no way that anything natural could cause this. You have discovered something seriously hinky here, Boss Man. But you're right, she is beautiful. I rather like the crown of flowers she's wearing. Is that Jessica's touch?"

Aaron shook his head. "I started doing that the first week. I know, you must think that I'm ridiculous, but…"

"But this is exactly the person who Haley wanted you to be. She wanted you to show your softer side to Jack, I remember that so clearly from her last phone call." Penelope teared up as she reached out and touched the arm of his statue. "Oh, Aaron, you are the sweetest man beneath that gruff exterior. But this marble is so warm to the touch."

"Well, it's warm out here."

"Yeah, but marble is always cold. Or maybe I've just always touched statues inside temperature-controlled places. Though now that I've seen her in real life, I can see why you'd be intrigued by her. She is definitely dressed in Civil War era garb, and I would kill to have a dress so fine, so she must have been based on someone slightly affluent, and I would assume that she was connected to the property in some way. But I couldn't find a connection anywhere. The wife of the man who owned this property during that time period died by drowning in the lake, and they never recovered her body, according to the newspapers that I read. It was a small blip, since they were well connected and could keep things out of the public eye, for the most part. And like I told you, the children just faded off the face of the planet after the war, too. This is a true mystery, and I love me a good mystery. It's a good thing that I brought my laptop with me so that I can do a little more research into the properties of marble and the history of this place."

He nodded as he too a seat on the ground, leaning back against the willow as he looked across the lake at the cabin. Soon, Penelope was joining him, and as he watched, she pulled out her phone and a stylus, drawing in the screen as she stared intently at the face of his statue. "She calls to you, too?"

"Yeah, for some reason, I feel like I know her, or that we would be friends, if she was alive. I don't know why, but it's just this weird feeling of familiarity."

"It is a weird feeling, isn't it? Just like in that myth."

"Unfortunately, as my parents were all too happy to tell me, myths don't come to life. Even if my teachers later told me that there was a kernel of truth in every myth. I still choose to believe in magic, because this world would be so dull without it, you know?"

"I do," he replied as he focused on the statue's face and let out a deep sigh. "Magic is what I need, it feels like. I wish that my apartment had a place for this statue, I'd bring her back with me, if Dave was all right with that. Instead, I have to hope that I will be able to get away here a few times a year."

"I'm certain my Italian Stallion will allow that, seeing as how the two of you are so close." Penelope reached out and patted his knee lightly before flopping onto her back and staring up at the sky. "Man, I could really get used to this place, I wish that I had longer than a weekend here. I'll have to ask Rossi if I can spend my annual leave up here, if he doesn't want to use it." Aaron chuckled a little as he allowed himself to relax, feeling the peace that he had come to associate with this place settle over his heart once more.


	7. Chapter 7

"Before you head home, do you want to take one last look at the statue?" Aaron asked as they finished putting the dishes away. Penelope gave him a wide smile as she nodded, and he chuckled a little and gestured towards the door with a flourish. These few short days together, just the four of them, had seemed to cement the bond of friendship between them, and he was glad that when he returned to work in five weeks that things would go so much more smoothly.

"I wonder if there will be any other changes this afternoon?"

"Other changes?" She nodded. "What have I missed?"

"Her hair. It appears to be filling in. Come on, I'll show you!" She took hold of his hand and tugged him along the path to his statue, and behind them, he could hear Jessica laughing uproariously. It was good to hear her mirth, since it had been in short supply while they were here, and he wanted to help her heal as well. "Jessica seems a little more at ease now. Do you think she'd mind if I texted her or called every once in a while?"

"I think that you bring sunshine with you no matter where you go, and that is exactly what we all need right about now. So, yes, call her, pull her out of the pit of grief. We all need to be reminded what it's like to live." Penelope glanced back at him, grinning widely as they continued to make their way to his statue's side. As he gazed up at her face, he saw that Penelope was right. Beneath yesterday's flower crown, the statue's hair was starting to turn a beautiful ash blonde. "How am I not noticing these changes?" he murmured as he adjusted the flowers on her head.

"Because you always focus on her face. Not that I blame you, because she's beautiful, but there's more to her than just her face."

Aaron nodded as he slowly walked around the statue, trying to take in all the details of her, noticing for the first time that her hair wasn't perfectly in braids, instead there were a few wisps that hung down around her neck, and he once more marveled at the craftsmanship that had gone into the creation of the statue. "She's so real to me."

"I totally get that, Boss Man. Now, I want you to take daily pictures of her, because somehow, I have the feeling that there are going to be more changes to come. Maybe we'll even get to know the color of her eyes before all is said and done!"

He nodded as he took one more look at her current flower crown. "Do you think that I should replace the flowers?"

"No, they still look fresh. Now, how about we sit here for a little while and you tell me some of your favorite stories about Haley? I especially want to hear about the pirate hat story, since I seem to remember Gideon mentioning that once upon a time."

Aaron took a deep breath as they sank to the ground, and this time he leaned back against the skirt of his statue, finding comfort in the touching of her. It was so easy to start talking about his ex-wife, and to his surprise, he found that the memories didn't sting quite as much as he thought they might. "You would have loved Haley and Jessica in high school. They were vivacious, but never part of that mean crowd. I think that was what drew me to Haley in the first place. And when Jack is old enough to understand, I'll tell him about that first date, and how I knew then and there that I was going to marry her. If only we had been different people."

"If you were different people, Foyet might never have been caught, and people would still be dying. The choices we make, difficult though they are, are what make us, and I can't see you being anything other than an honorable man who wants to bring an unsub to justice, in order to protect your loved ones."

Aaron had to blink a few times at the sweet way Penelope had described him, and he nodded a little as he allowed her to clasp his hand. "You're right, of course. There only was one choice for me, but after what I've been through, I can completely understand why Haley hated this job, now, with hindsight. Every single one of her fears came true."

Penelope patted his arm lightly before she let her head come to rest against his shoulder, a deep sigh slipping from her lips. "And it doesn't help anything when it seems like our team faces an inordinate amount of tragedies. Now, I hate to go, but I still need to do my shop for the week before I can turn in for the night, and it's a three-hour drive back to my apartment. Promise me that you'll call if you need anything and that I'll get update pictures of our lady of the lake."

"I promise, Penelope. Thank you, for everything." He got to his feet and helped her to stand, unsurprised when she pulled him into a tight hug before kissing his cheek. "It's going to be okay, with time."

"Keep telling yourself that, Boss Man, and it will come true." Once more, she kissed his cheek before letting go of him and then she was touching the statue's face and letting out a soft sigh. "I wish that we could have made things different for you. I love you, Boss Man, in the most platonic of ways, and I never wanted you to go through something like this."

"If you don't go now, I'll start crying, Penny." She gave him a small nod before squeezing his hand and then heading towards the house. After she'd entered the building, he allowed his shoulders to drop as he turned to look up at his lady of the lake. He found that he really liked that moniker Penelope had given her, as it seemed to fit that melancholy expression on her face. "If only there was a kernel of truth to the myth of Pygmalion."

A part of him longed to test that theory by kissing the statue, but a part of him didn't feel like it was appropriate yet. Instead, he just reached up and stroked her cheek before turning and making his own way back to the house. By the time he got there, Penelope was just pulling out of the drive, and she gave him a cheery wave before driving away from them. "Daddy, since Aunt Penelope left, could we go out on the lake again? I really like being in the boat."

Reaching out, he ruffled Jack's hair and nodded. "I think that that would be wonderful, Jack. Run in and see if Aunt Jessica want to come with us, too, okay?"

His son nodded, and ran back inside while Aaron went over to the garage and grabbed the lifejacket that they had been using during their visit. When he came back outside, Jessica and Jack were both waiting for him, and he grinned at them as he handed the flotation device to Jack before heading down to the dock to spend more time on the water with his family.


	8. Chapter 8

"Aaron, I think that there's something different about your lady."

He looked over at Jessica, seeing that she was gazing across the lake as they were bringing the boat in a few days after Penelope had left. Following her line of sight, he frowned a little to see that something was indeed different, but he couldn't figure out what. "Do you mind taking care of the boat and Jack while I go check things out? And just so you think we're both going completely round the bend, I think that you were right about Pygmalion. There's really no other explanation that Penelope and I can come up with for the reason why color seems to be continually coming out on her. Marble just doesn't work that way."

"I suppose that the only way you'll find out if we're crazy or if myths are true is if you kiss her, then. Because that is how Pygmalion brought his creation to life." Jessica patted his shoulder softly, giving him a tender, understanding, smile. "Haley wanted you to be happy, even if it couldn't be with her. It's okay to acknowledge that your heart it healing."

"Thank you, Jessica." She nodded before taking the rope from his hands and letting him go around the lake until he had reached his statue's side. As soon as he was up close to her, he could see that her arms had changed, with one hand clenched into the skirt of her dress and the other reaching out towards the house. "I suppose that the only way to truly test out our working theory is to kiss you," he murmured after taking a few pictures and sending them off to Penelope. By now, her skin had taken on a soft pink hue, like human skin, though her eye color was still the cool white marble of the stone she had been carved from.

Taking a deep breath, Aaron slipped his phone back into his pocket before leaning in and brushing his lips against the cold stone of hers. A part of him had been anticipating feeling real skin beneath his lips, and he frowned a little as he stepped away from the statue to look at her. He watched the statue closely, trying to see if there was any change, but it appeared as if nothing had happened. Letting out a disconsolate sigh, Aaron sank to the ground and stared into the lake, knowing that they now had to come up with a new hypothesis for why the statue was both gaining color and moving.

"Mark?"

The soft voice with a slight Southern drawl, caught his attention, and he quickly jumped to his feet and turned to see that the statue was starting to transform before his eyes. Real life started to come to the woman's features and soon her dress was fluttering in the breeze as her arms dropped heavily to her side. Confusion filled his mind, as his rational side tried to tell him that this was not possible, while his senses told him that it was happening, and he had to do something about it. The woman staggered a little bit as the last bits of whatever had been trapping her in place ceased, and he instantly reached out to catch her in his arms. The first thing he noticed was that her eyes were a gorgeous grey blue and that they were filled with confusion as she gazed at him. "I'm Aaron."

"Where's my husband? He was supposed to come back from the War and rescue me with his kiss." Her confused look slipped into a frown as she continued to stare at him. "Were you the one that kissed me? What gave you the right? And why are you dressed like, like, like, some vagabond?"

Aaron knew that he would have to tread carefully in the next few minutes, so as not to scare her, and he pulled the flower crown from her hair and stroked the silken tresses. "Your husband never came home from the War."

"Oh," she breathed out before her eyes rolled back in her head and she passed out. It was easy to pick her up in his arms, her slight weight no extra burden to him as he walked the well-worn path back to the house. Jessica must have been watching him, as she was at the side door when he approached it, opening it for him with a look of confused wonder on her face.

"I don't have any answers for you, Jess. Where should I put her? In the living room or in one of our bedrooms?"

"Jack's napping right now, perhaps you should put her in the living room? The sofa in there should be wide enough to accommodate her and her skirts. Seriously, I don't know how women wore dresses like that!"

He shrugged a little as he followed Jessica into the living room, kicking the door closed with his foot as he went. The woman stirred a little in his arms, almost cuddling close to him, and Aaron smiled down into her face. "She makes it look effortless. After I get her onto the sofa, would you mind calling Penelope? I have the feeling that I should be the one to stay by her side until she wakes up, since she's seen me before she fainted. I don't want to spring too much on her at once."

"Like the small fact that it's been almost one hundred fifty years since the Civil War ended?" Jessica asked wryly, and he nodded as he carefully lowered her onto the sofa, arranging her skirts so that they covered her legs, somehow knowing that would be important to her. Once he was certain the woman was comfortable, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and handed it to Jessica. "You don't have a passcode for it?"

"Not if you just tell Siri to call Penelope," he replied softly, and Jessica nodded as she exited the room. As she moved away from them, he could hear her talk into the phone, and a soft smile curved his lips as he moved down to the woman's feet and tenderly removed her shoes. The numerous buttons caused his fingers to fumble a little, but once they were undone, it was easy to slip them off, and he set them next to the foot of the sofa before moving to her head and taking a seat on the floor so that he could watch her rest.

Now that she was real to him, there was so much that he wanted to know, that he wanted to ask, but he knew that he wasn't about to disturb her. Instead, he reached out and ran his hand over her hair, feeling how soft the tresses were, as if they had never been sculpted stone. "So, you were Mark's wife," he whispered as he traced the planes of her face with his fingertips. "I don't quite understand what's happened, but I know that you are going to be so confused. I promise you, no matter what, I will do my best to ensure that you are well protected."

The woman groaned a little as she turned her face towards him, her cheek coming to rest in the palm of his hand, and Aaron let out a soft breath as he continued to stare at her features, finding his heart growing tender in his chest as he familiarized himself with what he saw. He just hoped that wherever Haley was that she would understand his starting to make the first steps forward from his grief and into a new phase of his life as he strove to help solve the mystery surrounding his lady of the lake.


	9. Chapter 9

The woman still hadn't woken up by the time that Penelope arrived at the cabin, and Aaron was relieved to see his friend's face appear over the back of the sofa as she stared down at them. "I got here as quickly as I could, Hotch. When you told me that she said Mark was her husband, I looked up all the information that I could find on him. If what you said is accurate, her name is Erin Strauss. There are no pictures of them, anywhere, so I can't confirm that's who she really is, but since there's nothing normal about this situation, well, I'm going to run with that. She's beautiful."

"Isn't she? I want to take down her hair and see how long it is, but I don't think that would be appropriate, and I want her to be as at ease as she possibly can be when she wakes up."

Penelope nodded as she came around to his side and joined him on the floor. "I totally understand that, Boss Man. But, I think that you need to go eat supper with your son before rejoining me here. I promise, if she wakes up before you get back, I'll try to keep her calm and call out for you."

He nodded as he reluctantly let go of Erin's hand before getting to his feet, wincing a little as the blood began to rush through his body once more. "Just speak kindly to her. We have no idea what she's been through, and the kinder we are, the more we're likely to get out of her."

She smiled at him as she nodded. "I think that I can do that, Hotch. Now go. We have it here."

Aaron took a deep breath as he nodded before turning on his heel and heading into the kitchen. Jessica and Jack were already at the table, and he smiled at his son before taking the seat next to him. "I hope that I didn't keep you waiting too long," he said as he picked up his water glass and took a sip.

"No, we knew that you would be occupied until Penelope arrived. Has the woman stirred at all?"

"No, Erin is still unconscious. I think, with Penelope here now, that I'll try to wake her after we finish eating, if you don't mind having Aunt Jessica spend the rest of the day with you?"

"No, Daddy. But do you think I can meet her when she wakes up?"

"Maybe tomorrow, Jackers. If she wakes up tonight, she'll probably be really confused. If we wait until tomorrow, Erin might be a little more calm. Okay?"

"Okay." Jack grinned up at him, and Aaron let out a little sigh as he dug into his food. "Will Auntie Penelope be here long?"

"I don't know, kiddo. She just wanted to know if anything hinky happened while we were here, since she wants to protect us. We are lucky to have such good friends." He reached out and ruffled Jack's hair before finishing his meal, an easy conversation forming between the three of them. "Did you make anything for Penelope?"

"She said that she'd eat in the morning with us. I think that her entire focus right now is on your lady of the lake and what will happen when Sleeping Beauty wakes up." He nodded and helped Jack clear the table before filling his water glass and then hugging his son. Jack grinned at him before wrapping his arms around Aaron's neck and kissing his cheek soundly. "All right, Jackers, let's head up to your room, and I'll continue reading _Treasure Island_ to you."

He nodded before giving Aaron a sloppy kiss and then wiggling to get down. Aaron lowered him to the ground, watching as he took off running up the stairs, Jessica following behind at a slower pace. Once he heard feet moving around above him, he made his way back into the living room and found Penelope had dragged one of the large wingback chairs over to Erin's side and had curled up on it as she watched Erin closely. "Any change?"

"No. I'm starting to get a little worried about that, Aaron. She should have made some indication that she was awake. Would you mind if I shook her shoulder and see if we could get her to come around?"

"Great minds think alike, Garcia. I was actually planning on doing something similar. But before we take that next step, I have to ask this. We both agree that this is weird and inexplicable, right?" Penelope nodded. "And if she really is Erin Strauss, a woman who was supposed to have died in 1863, we are going to have a lot of explaining to do. She won't have a Social Security number, she won't have a birth certificate, and she won't know what to do with herself in this time. Think about how much has changed in the last decade, and then multiply that by fifteen."

"I was thinking about that, too. There's no good way to acclimatize her to everything, and even though I haven't talked to her yet, I would die for her."

He chuckled as he shook his head. "Is that some internet thing?" he asked as he crouched down next to Erin, setting his glass on the table next to him before reaching out and caressing her face.

"Yeah, kind of. Hotch, we are going to protect her, yes?"

"Yes," he quickly replied before slipping his hand down her neck to rest on her shoulder, shaking it gently. As he watched, her eyes started to flutter a little and he held his breath as he reached his free hand out to Penelope. She hurriedly clasped it and joined him on her knees at Erin's side as a low groan tumbled from the woman's lips and then her eyes opened, looking at them both. "Hello, Erin."

She frowned deeply as she tried to sit up, only to fall back onto the sofa once more as she let out a frustrated breath. "You have me at a loss, sir. You know my name, but I am not acquainted with you or your wife."

"Oh, I'm not his wife. I work for him, with the government," Penelope hastily replied. The frown on Erin's face grew, and Aaron tried to swallow his groan at Penelope's small misstep. "I'm Penelope Garcia, and this is Aaron Hotchner. I think that this was once your home, but it currently belongs to another of our coworkers. I'm certain that you must be so confused about what's going on, and so are we. But we're here to take care of you and make certain that you get caught up to speed."

"I see. And where is my husband?"

"Mark? He was killed in action during the last month of the Civil War."

Erin nodded, her eyes filling with tears as she rubbed her lips together. "And my children? I was promised that they would be all right, if I took that blasted curse upon me."

"As far as I know, your children grew up to have long, healthy, lives. Unfortunately, records are hard to track down after so much times passes. I can share with you everything that I learned about them, if you'd like."

Erin nodded before fixing her eyes on Aaron. "I would like that very much, miss. But if you do not mind, I need to speak Mister Hotchner alone for a few moments."

"Of course. I'm going to get myself a glass of water. Would you like one, too?" Erin nodded, and Penelope got to her feet before reaching out and squeezing Erin's hand softly. As soon as she was gone from the room, Erin took a deep breath and tried to sit up once more, and this time Aaron helped her before taking a seat on the open spot next to her.

"While I don't know you yet, sir, the condition of my curse lifting was receiving true love's kiss. The witch was quite insistent about that point. So I must ask again, are you certain that woman is not your wife?"

Aaron felt the bottom of his stomach fall out as he gazed at her, nodding his head slowly as he continued to look at Erin. Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at the coffee table, a small gasp escaping her lips, and he turned his head to see that he had left _Pride and Prejudice_ sitting there. "Was that your book? Is that your writing on the pages?"

"No, it was my Tabitha's favorite book, and that's her writing inside it. May, may I please?"

"Of course," he whispered as he reached out and grabbed the book, handing it over to her. Aaron watched her closely as she opened the book, tears rolling down her cheeks as she reached out her hand and traced some of the words written there. He knew that there would be time to talk about what she had said later, but he wanted her to have this moment to connect with the daughter who was long dead. Still, he didn't object when she reached out and took hold of his hand, holding on tightly as she wept quietly.


	10. Chapter 10

"Sorry that it took me a little longer to get the water for us. I saw that Jessica had made cookies and thought that I might tempt the two of you with them."

Aaron could tell by the sound of Penelope's voice that she had caught Erin crying and had wanted to give them a little more private time, thinking rightly that the woman had quickly bonded with him. "My sister's cookies are quite delicious, Erin," he said as he snagged one off the plate and handed it to Erin. She took it cautiously before nibbling at the sweet treat, a ghost of a smile flickering across her face as she made eye contact with him. "In the morning, I'll introduce you to her and my son. But now, while it's just the three of us, I think that we need to talk a little bit more about your current situation."

"I see. Well. I don't know what else to tell you, Mister Hotchner."

"I don't think it's what you have to tell us, but what we have to tell you, ma'am. And, well, you might want to hold onto this glass while we tell you these things. Because I can only imagine what I would feel if I were experiencing what you are. Now, when you were placed under this curse, it was still 1863, yes?"

"Yes. And you said that the War is over. How long has it been since it ended?"

Penelope and Aaron exchanged a look before he drew in a deep breath. "It has been almost one hundred fifty years, Erin. It's is currently 2008."

The woman next to him pulled in almost as deep a breath as he had, though he noticed that she didn't flinch, even as her skin turned paler than it already was. "I, I thought that it was only going to be a few months that I would be under that spell. That Mark would return home and wake me with his kiss. And now, you're telling me that I've become the Aurora of fairy tale and spent so long as a statue?"

"We are. I know that it might be a little difficult to explain."

"When you're dealing with magic, and curses, I suppose that anything isn't too difficult, Miss."

"Please, call me Penelope. I know, that might not be the appropriate social response when you came from, but it makes me feel odd to be called something so formal. And, I guess, well, I'm really hoping that we'll become friends with time."

Erin let out a quiet, pleased, sound as she nodded. "I would like that, Penelope. As long as you call me Erin. I can't really stand on tradition at a time like this. I take it that fashion has changed dramatically over the course of the years?"

"Yes, extremely. I can show you pictures of what women are wearing these days, if you'd like. And we could perhaps find you something that you'd like to wear and still feel comfortable in and I could order it online for you."

Her brow furrowed in confusion, and Aaron rested his hand on her knee to offer her reassurance. "There's a new method of communication in this time, called the internet. It can connect people around the world in seconds, and all knowledge is at the tips of our fingers." Erin nodded as Penelope picked up her tablet and began to tap away at it, before sitting on the floor between their legs.

"See, these are some different examples of what women are wearing nowadays. I know, it's so different from what you currently have on, but hopefully there's something that will strike your fancy." Penelope held the tablet so that Erin could watch over her shoulder as she scrolled through the clothing selection offered on the Neiman Marcus website. He noticed that she had automatically chosen professional clothing, filtering out the pants and more casual options, and he watched the play of emotion that ran over her face as she reached out to still Penelope's hand. "Which one?"

"That purple dress. It's so lovely."

Penelope glanced up at Aaron, giving him a questioning look. He nodded and she tapped on it, calling up a larger picture of the dress. "So, our next job is to figure out what size you would be in today's standard of measurement. Now, I'm assuming that you're wearing a corset to nip in your waist, and that will affect things, unless you want to keep wearing it out of comfort. Most women these days usually wear bras, unless they're historical reenactors."

"I think that I'll stay with my corset, for the time being."

Penelope nodded before looking up at Aaron once more. "I'll need a measuring tape. I don't know if Rossi keeps one here, but you could check the junk drawer in the kitchen?"

He knew that it wasn't a question, and he nodded as he got to his feet. "I will be back soon, ladies." Erin gave him a slightly panicked look, and he tried to smile reassuringly at her before leaving the room and heading into the kitchen. Jessica was there, her hands wrapped around a mug of tea as she stared at the table. "Hey. Did Jack go down to sleep okay?"

"No, he wanted to read for a while, so I let him. I figured that was better than him asking for more time on my phone." He nodded as he went over to the junk drawer and began to rummage through it. "What are you looking for, Aaron?"

"A tape measure. Penelope wants to order Erin some different clothes, since all she has is her dress, and we need to find her measurements."

Jessica rolled her eyes a little as she shook her head. "You cannot use any sort of measuring tape that you might find in a man's house for things like that. Come up to my room, and I'll get you what you need." He frowned a little as he nodded, following after her upstairs. "I always keep one in my purse, so that I can keep measuring my projects to see how long they're getting." After rummaging around in her purse for a few second, she triumphantly pulled out a small roll of plastic, thrusting it at him. "Here, this will help you out. How is she handling things?"

"Much better than I would, that's for certain. Though I think that there's also an element of shock there, too. I mean, she learned that her husband and children are dead and almost one hundred fifty years has passed for her, and she's just drinking it in right now. I have a feeling that she might collapse in the near future, and we need to be prepared for that."

"Of course. You know, it is good to see you with a new person to save, Aaron. I can see the life returning to your eyes, and it makes my heart so happy to see. Haley knew that you would need to find happiness, and if it's with her, I don't think that she'd mind." Jessica leaned in and kissed his cheek softly before shooing him from her room. "Go, get her measured."

"Thanks. And…do you have an extra set of pyjamas? I don't think that she's going to want to sleep in her dress, and you're closer to her size that Penelope is."

She nodded before going over to the dresser and pulling out a long, thin, nightgown. "This will hopefully be comfortable for her. Are you going to sleep with Jack then, tonight? Penelope's already asked if she could spend the night with me."

"Probably. Erin needs her privacy at a time like this, after all." Jessica nodded as she closed the door of her bedroom and he stared at the closed door, wondering what the next step would be for them all.


	11. Chapter 11

By the time Aaron returned to the living room, it seemed like Erin and Penelope had become fast friends, and he smiled to see them sitting close together on the sofa as they looked at something on the tablet in Penelope's lap. "Sorry I was gone so long. I asked Jess if she had an extra nightgown for Erin, and that took a little extra time. And I hit paydirt!"

He held out the measuring tape to Penelope, and she squealed happily as she plucked it from his palm and grinned at Erin. "All right, let's get you measured, and then we can order those clothes you picked out! Since you're so slim, everything that you liked should be in stock."

After getting to her feet, Penelope held out her hand to Erin, and he watched as she took hold of it softly, rising to her feet in an elegant way. Much to his chagrin, he felt his heart lurch softly in his chest as he watched them, and it took Penelope coughing to catch his attention. "Yeah, Garcia?"

"I need you to write down some information for us." He nodded as he picked up a pen and a piece of scrap paper, waiting for further instructions. Penelope told him what to write down and soon he had a list of measurements and then he handed the paper to Penelope as she and Erin took a seat on the sofa once more. Aaron sank down onto the chair Penelope had brought over earlier and watched as Penelope tapped away furiously on the tablet before pulling out her credit card and entering the information.

"I'll pay you back as soon as I can, Garcia."

"Nonsense, Boss Man! I have this. Believe me, I'm good for it." She gave him a sunny smile before asking him for the address here. "All right, it looks like we'll be getting a few packages here in by the end of the week."

"The seamstress can sew all that so quickly?"

Penelope shook her head. "Almost all clothing these days is premade, so it won't fit quite as well as your dress does, but it's so expensive to have clothes tailormade for you. Though seeing how perfect that dress looks on you, I have half a mind to start having my own wardrobe made for me, too."

"I see. What else should I know about?"

"We don't use horses and carriages to get around anymore? Instead, we drive cars. Aaron can show you his tomorrow, but I need to be getting upstairs and getting ready for bed. Driving so long in one day takes a lot out of me. It has been very nice getting to know you so far."

"Likewise. Sleep well, Penelope."

Penelope nodded as she rose to her feet, patting Erin's shoulder before giving him a tight hug. "Don't let her slip through your fingers, Aaron. She is definitely a keeper."

He chuckled as he watched her leave the room, and then a heavy silence was falling over them, now that they were alone. "I'm assuming that you're sleeping in my bedroom, Aaron."

"I think that I am, yes, but I'll be slipping in with my son so that you can have the bedroom to yourself."

Her face fell for an instant before she nodded. "Thank you. I must admit, it will be nice to sleep in a bed after everything I've been through."

"Do you remember anything from that time at all?" he asked, hoping that he didn't sound to gruff, wanting her to feel at ease in his presence.

"I wish that I did. Maybe it's a blessing that the world went dark the moment I fully turned to stone. Though I did start coming to wakefulness before you kissed me. I have vague impressions that I started to move, but could not go anywhere. It was most distressing. But then you kissed me, and all felt right. Aaron?"

"Yes?"

"I'm going to need some help getting out of my dress and corset. I had my own personal maid, even during the war, but I didn't feel comfortable asking Penelope to do something so intimate for me. If I am beginning to understand even some small part of what has changed since I became stone, such things aren't really done any longer. And since I won't have my new clothes until later on this week, I'll need your help in the morning, too."

"I can do that for you, Erin. I promise, I will try to be the gentleman that my mother raised me to be."

"I know, I could tell that from the moment I laid eyes on you. I don't know how, but my heart just knew." She gave him a beautiful smile, and he felt himself relax a little. "So, your sister and your son are here, and Penelope is not your wife. What happened to her?"

"She was murdered." Erin flinched, and he nodded. "Penelope and I work for a branch of the government where we hunt down some of the worst criminals in the world. One of them decided to target me, personally, and after he had attacked and stabbed me numerous times, he then went after my family, causing them to have to go into hiding. But he was smarter than we all gave him credit for and managed to weasel his way into finding out where they were, and caused her to flee her protection. We weren't fast enough to stop him from hurting her, but I did manage to save me son. That was two months ago."

"Oh," she breathed out, her eyes blinking rapidly as she continued to gaze at him. "I am so sorry that happened to you."

"It's life. Sometimes it hurts, sometimes it feels like it will destroy you, but somehow you find the strength to move on. Her last words to me, which you can ask Penelope to confirm, she heard them, too, over the telephone, were that she wanted me to find love and happiness once more, to show Jack that I wasn't always as serious and dour as I am now. And for the first time since her death, I find myself with something to help me do just that."

She nodded as she took a few deep breaths, tears starting to course down her cheeks once more. "I understand that completely. I hate to impose on you, but I am feeling exhausted, more so from crying than true tiredness. May we head up to bed now?"

He nodded as he got to his feet and then held out his arm for her. She rose to her feet, the nightgown and book clutched tightly to her chest as she slipped her free hand into the crook of his elbow. He found it easy to match his steps to hers as they made their way upstairs, and then he was leading her into his bedroom. She paused and looked around the room, as if she remembered it looking differently. "Things change?"

"I know. It's just so strange to feel in and out of place all at once." She drifted over to the bed and set the book and nightgown down there before turning to look at him. "If I asked you to stay, would you? I just really want to be held tonight."

"Of course, Erin. I'll change in the bathroom and then rejoin you." She gave him a fleeting smile before turning and waggling her fingers at her back. Taking the hint, he made quick work of the laces that closed her bodice before slipping the fabric apart so that he could do the same for her corset. "There you are, I'll be back in a short while." She nodded and it took everything in his willpower to keep from staying in the room in that moment and watch her undress, knowing that if he did so, he wouldn't be able to respect himself come the morning. Instead, he went over to the dresser and grabbed out a t-shirt and pyjama pants before heading to the bathroom to change.


	12. Chapter 12

By the time he rejoined Erin in the bedroom, she had already changed and was sitting on the end of the bed, staring down at her hands. For some reason, he felt like there was something amiss, but he didn't know what, so he just walked slowly over to her side and took a seat next to her and waited for Erin to acknowledge his presence. "I don't have a comb, and my head is starting to hurt from this updo," she finally whispered.

"Would you mind using my comb? It probably won't be as fine as the one you once had, but it should do an okay job."

She nodded a little, worrying a piece of the nightgown between her fingers. "And would you comb it for me? So I can at least pretend for one last night that Mark is the one taking care of those needs?"

"If that's what you want, I can do that." He reached out and patted her shoulder before standing back up and heading to the dresser. Opening the top drawer, he pulled out the tiny black comb that he used and looked between it and Erin, knowing that that wouldn't do. "Actually, give two minutes."

Again, Erin nodded, and he let out a soft sigh before padding down the hall and knocking on the door of Jessica's room. "Enter!"

He opened their door and peeked his head inside, seeing that the women were stretched out on the bed, each looking at their tablets without glancing up at him. "Hey, do you think that I could borrow one of your combs? And a brush?"

"Oh, fuck, I didn't even think about getting her toiletries. My comb and brush are on top of the dresser there, and I'll order her some right now. Thanks for the reminder, Hotch." Penelope smiled at him quickly before starting to tap away on her tablet. "Can you think of anything else she might want?"

"Not really." He took a deep breath and went over to the dresser, picking up the comb and brush that he knew was Penelope's, based on the over the top peacock design of them. "One of us will return these to you tomorrow."

"There's no hurry, I'll know where to find them when I need them," she replied absently as he left the bedroom, and he nodded before closing the door and heading back into the master bedroom.

Erin was still seated on the end of the bed, and he joined her hurriedly, situating himself so that it would be easy to pull the pins from her hair. "Penelope loves pretty things," he explained as he set the brush next to them on the mattress. "I don't have a dish for the hair pins, but they should be all right on the dresser."

"Of course," she said quietly, holding out her left hand. Aaron smiled as his fingers began to pluck out the pins, dropping them into her palm as he went along. Soon, two braids were hanging down her back, almost reaching her hips, and he sucked in a deep breath as he untied the twine that held the braids closed before setting it aside so that he could undo the braids. Her hair was silky, and he couldn't stop himself from leaning forward and breathing in the delicate scent that lingered around her. "Mark loved my hair, too. Is, is it normal for women to wear their hair short like Penelope?"

"For the most part, yes, but don't let that sway you into making any rash decisions. I think your hair is gorgeous." Picking up the comb, he began to drag it through her tresses, not finding any snarls or tangles in it. "Do you want me to braid it again for the night? Somehow, I think that it might be rather difficult to sleep with it loose."

"That would be nice."

Aaron sighed happily as he finished combing her hair before running the brush over it to smooth it down before dividing it into three heavy hanks. There was something soothing about the motion of braiding her hair, and once it was all in one thick, long, braid down her spine, he leaned forward and rested his chin on her shoulder. "All set, Erin. Are you ready to sleep now?"

"I suppose that I am. Aaron?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think that Penelope would be able to find out where Mark is buried? I'd like to visit his grave. I need to see with my eyes that he's really gone. Even after everything that you've both shown me this evening, there are some things that I can't wrap my mind around."

He nodded as they got up from the bed. Erin went over to the dresser and set the pins in a pile before turning to look at him, a heavy sadness marking all her features. "I was the first person to find Haley's body, and it wasn't until I held her in my arms that I could truly comprehend that she was gone. I understand completely."

"Oh," she murmured as he came over to her side, setting the comb and brush next to the pins. "Oh, Aaron." Before he could react, she was wrapping her arms around his waist in a tight embrace, holding him close as broken sobs began to wrack her body. "I miss them so much."

"I know, oh god, how I know." Slowly, he walked them over to the bed, and then he helped her to sit down on the mattress, still holding on to her tightly. She clung to him until her cries ceased and her weight became heavy against him, which let him know that she had fallen asleep. Slowly, he disentangled himself from her embrace so that he could pull back the covers and maneuver her beneath them. There was something so lovely about her in sleep, and before he could stop himself, Aaron leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead before stumbling over to the lightswitch and turning it off, plunging the room into darkness.

Somehow, he made his way back to the bed without tripping over anything, and then he was pulling back the covers on his side and slipping in next to her. A part of him wanted to turn to her, to pull her flush against his body and curl protectively around her, but he knew that would be crossing a line that he wasn't certain they would be comfortable with when morning came. Instead, Aaron brought the covers up around their shoulders before staring up at the ceiling.

"The fact that Penelope can accept this so readily helps me to accept it as well. Though I don't know about the true love's kiss part, since Haley was my first love. Still, I suppose that I could fall in love with you, you've heard enough of my secrets over the last few weeks, even though you were encased in stone and couldn't retain them. Oh, Erin, I swear to you that I will protect you and guide you as you try to navigate your way through this wholly different world."

A part of her must have heard his quiet words, since she turned to face him, seeking him out even in sleep, her arm flopping across his torso. Smiling a little, Aaron allowed himself to relax into sleep, wondering what the morning would bring them.


	13. Chapter 13

The soft flutter of lips against his brought Aaron to wakefulness the next morning, and he smiled against them before murmuring, "Haley?"

"No, Aaron." The soft drawl brought everything flooding back to the forefront and he opened his eyes to see Erin was smiling down at him, her braid heavy against his chest. "You stayed. I almost thought…"

"You asked me to, and I was taught to never refuse a lady's request. Did you sleep well?"

She nodded before taking a deep breath. "I feel so much better now. But, where is the chamber pot? I, I need to relieve myself and…"

Erin's voice trailed off as an embarrassed flush stained her cheeks. "We don't use those any longer. Come, I'll show you where the bathroom is." She nodded and he climbed out of bed, glancing at the clock. It was barely five, and he knew that they should return to sleep, even if it wasn't the best sleep, after she had taken care of her needs. "This is the toilet, which is like a chamber pot, in a way, I guess? I've never used one, or an outhouse, for that matter. When you're done, you depress this lever and the plumbing will take care of that. I'm going to head back to bed, I usually don't get up for another two hours. You're free to rejoin me, if you wish."

She gave him a grateful smile as she nodded. "All right. Thank you."

He smiled in return before leaving the bathroom, closing the door and then going back to the bedroom and collapsing on the bed. In the few minutes Erin was occupied, he found himself falling back to sleep, even though he wanted to be awake when she came back to him. Not that he thought she'd bolt or anything, but still, he wanted her to know that she was safe. Just before he'd completely slipped back under, he felt the bed dip slightly beneath her weight before she was curling up against him, her head coming to rest on his chest as her hand wrapped almost possessively around his shoulder.

Once she was comfortable, it seemed like that was a signal to his body to finally shuffle back to sleep, and he gave himself over to darkness, his own arm curving around Erin's slim waist as they felt back to sleep together. The next thing that caught his attention was the feel of the mattress bouncing and he groaned a little as he opened his eyes to see Jack had joined them at some point, a wide grin on his face as he burrowed between Erin and himself. "Daddy! Are you going to sleep the morning away? Aunt Jessica said that you were going to introduce me to your lady of the lake, and I got tired of waiting."

Aaron could tell the exact moment that Erin woke up as her hand clenched at his hip before she sat up and pulled away from them. "It was a long day for both of us, Jackers, so of course we would need a lot of sleep. What time is it?"

"Nearly lunchtime." Aaron's eyes widened as he glanced at the clock, seeing that his son was correct. "Daddy?"

"Yes, yes, I will introduce you to my lady of the lake. But give us thirty minutes to get dressed and meet you down in the living room, okay?" Jack nodded before leaning in and giving him a sloppy kiss on the cheek. Then he was clambering out of the bed and thundering over to the door, closing it loudly behind him. "That ball of energy is my son, Jack. I'm sorry for the interruption."

"That is perfectly all right, Aaron. He, he reminds me of my Tabitha, when she was that age. I take it that he looks like his mother's side of the family?"

He nodded as they climbed out of the bed, and Erin gave him a small smile as she went over to her clothes, picking up the white cotton undergarments before giving him a bashful look. "I'll go change in the bathroom and then come back to help you into your corset and dress."

"Thank you, Aaron." He wasn't surprised when she came over to his side and pressed a tender kiss to his lips. "You must know that this is just as much a shock for me as it is for you, right?"

"I do," he replied before caressing her cheek and then pulling out fresh clothing. It was difficult to leave her side, but he knew that she needed the privacy to get changed, even if they were treading the thin line between desire and decorum. Letting out a long breath, he went into the bathroom and quickly shed his pyamas before taking a quick shower and then putting on the fresh clothes he had chosen mere minutes ago.

After shaving off the stubble of the previous day, Aaron went back to the bedroom and smiled as he stared at Erin. She was standing in front of the window, gazing outside, and the light illuminated her in an ethereal manner. "The trees are so much taller than they were, and there are so many more of them. Everything is the same, and yet so different." Turning, she gazed at him, and a part of him yearned to sweep her up into his arms and kiss her senseless. Erin seemed to pick up on that feeling, as she blushed a little before drifting towards his side and spreading her hand out on his chest. "Kiss me, so that I know this wasn't just a dream?"

He nodded as he lowered his lips to hers, marveling at the sweet softness there. She sighed against his mouth, and he used the opening to taste her more fully. The thin fabric that separated them only served to tantalize him more, and it was an effort to pull away from Erin. Still, he knew that Jack was bound to check on them again soon, if they didn't appear downstairs, and so he reluctantly took a few steps away from her and smiled down into her upturned face. "If this is a dream, it's the sweetest one I've had in a long time, Erin. Now, let's see about getting you dressed."

She let out a forlorn sigh before nodding and heading over to the dresser, slipping into the corset and presenting her back to him, allowing him to tighten the strings. "Not that tight, dear. I need to breathe, and I am not some fashionable young girl who wants to impress a beau." He loosened the ties, and then watched her add a few petticoats to her ensemble before adding the skirt and the bodice. The bodice was easier to lace up, and then he was tugging on her braid. "I don't have time to do a fresh braid, give me one second to pin it up into a crown and then you may lead me to the kitchen."

Aaron watched as she quickly wrapped the long hair into a circlet around her head, shoving the pins into place as she smiled at him in the mirror. "You are so beautiful," he murmured as he reached for her hand, prepared to lead her downstairs and formally introducing her to his family.


	14. Chapter 14

Aaron could tell the exact moment that Erin became uncomfortable with being under the scrutiny of so many people, as she unconsciously scooted closer to him, the layers of her skirts covering his leg as she cleared her throat. "Hey, Jack, why don't you and Aunt Penelope come with me and we can take the boat out on the lake?"

"But I have so many more questions, Daddy!"

He reached down and ruffled Jack's hair as he shook his head. "Erin will be with us for a long time, kiddo. You can ask a total of two questions a day, but for now, we're going to allow her to have some time for herself. Okay?"

Jack nodded slowly, and Aaron knew that he was not pleased with that response, but was trying not to argue about things. "Oh, I haven't been out on a boat in years, Jackers! This will be so much fun!" Penelope gave them a knowing smile as she rose to her feet, holding out her hand to Jack. Reluctantly, he got to his feet and heavily walked over to her side, stopping just short of the stomping that he knew would get him yelled at by his father.

As they left the room, Aaron reached out and picked up Erin's hand, giving it a soft squeeze. "Jessica should be able to show you around the kitchen and let you know the improvements that have been made since when you were last there. She'll take good care of you, I promise." From the corner of his eye, he watched as Jessica nodded, a tender smile on her lips as she looked at them. "I'll try to keep them occupied for about two hours, but I make no promises."

"Thank you, Aaron," she whispered softly, reaching out for his hand and squeezing it a few times before she elegantly got to her feet, looking at Jessica expectantly. His sister also got up and gestured towards the door with her hand before following Erin out of the room. Heaving a large sigh, Aaron launched himself to his feet, wondering how he would be able to impress upon his son that as much as he wanted to know about his lady of the lake, they had to do it on Erin's timetable.

Just as he was about to leave the house, he heard soft footsteps padding against the floor, and he paused with his hand on the doorknob. "Yes?"

"Thank you, truly," Erin whispered before throwing her arms around his neck and lifting herself up so that she could kiss him. Instinctively, he slung his arm around her waist, holding her close as the kiss deepened. "I didn't realise that it would all be so much. But you understood perfectly. Fairy tales aren't supposed to be truth, but it feels like I've been placed in one, and you're my knight in shining armor." She gave him another gentle kiss before stepping away from him and making her way back to the kitchen.

Smiling to himself, Aaron opened the door and went outside, crossing to the garage quickly so that he could grab Jack's life jacket before heading down to the lake. Penelope and Jack were waiting for him, and he waved a little as he approached, seeing that his son was in a better mood now that he was outside, and he smiled back at them as he reached their sides. "So, do you want to try rowing today, Jack? You probably won't be able to move us very far, but once we're in the middle of the lake, you might be able to get us a little way around."

He hoped the concession to his son would help alleviate some of the frustration the he felt at bring forced to quit his interrogation of Erin. "Yeah!" he called out, smiling widely at him as he allowed Aaron to put the safety device on him before they climbed into the boat. Aaron found that it didn't take long to get them to the middle of the lake, and he figured that he was building upper body strength every time they went out. He let out a little chuckle when Penelope opened a parasol to protect her head from the sun shining down on them, and then he set down the oars and allowed the boat to bob gently on the water as he leaned back and gazed up at the sky. The white fluffy clouds filled him with a sense of peace, and he let out a few deep breaths as he tried to make sense of how quickly his life had changed. "Daddy, how did Miss Erin come to life? I thought that you said fairy tales weren't real."

"I didn't think that they were, but Miss Erin is proving to be the exception to the rule. But I'm glad that you brought this up, Jack, because we need to lay down some ground rules. First, you'll need to knock on my bedroom door in the mornings, if we're not up. Adults need their privacy just as much as you do. Second, you need to try and hold off on asking so many questions. I want to know everything about her, too, but you have to remember that she's trying to wrap her mind around the fact that the life she knew was almost one hundred and fifty years in the past."

"I know, but she's so pretty, Daddy, and I just want to know everything about her. Like, what happened to her children."

"I can probably help fill in a few of those gaps for you, Jackers, since I did do some background research on her. When we get back to the house, we'll go up to my bedroom, and I'll show you on the laptop what I know about them. That way, you'll find out more and won't dig at the open wounds Erin is still carrying. Because we want her to be happy with us, right?"

"Yeah!"

"And you know what, kiddo?"

"What?" he asked as shifted on his seat, leaning forward to look closely at Penelope.

"She's hurting over the loss of her husband and children, just like you're hurting over losing your mum. In her eyes, they died yesterday, even though to us, it's been a lot longer. Her pain is just as fresh as yours is, so if you cut her some slack, and snuggle up to her when she has that faraway look on her face, she might just find a way to heal alongside you."

Aaron gave Penelope a grateful smile and she dipped her chin in acknowledgment of his approval. "I suppose that I can do that, Aunt Penelope. I didn't think about how she might be sad, too. It must be harder for her, since she has to get used to a new time and losing her family." Penelope nodded as she reached out and patted his shoulder lightly. "Can I try rowing, now?"

"Of course, Jack." He carefully handed the oars over to his son and began to instruct him on how to use them before settling back once more and allowing his son to awkwardly steer them around the lake as he and Penelope began a running conversation on what their lives were going to be like now that Erin was going to be a larger part of their lives.


	15. Chapter 15

"Are you certain that I look all right?"

Aaron glanced at the doorway to see that Erin had appeared there, wearing one of the new dresses that Penelope had chosen for her. Though it was long, reaching her ankles, there was something modern about it that made her look so different, and his heart lurched a little in his chest as he nodded. "That is a lovely dress, and it suits you well. I know, it probably feels weird, but you look like you fit in here, at this time."

She gave him a small smile as she drifted into the bathroom, leaning against the counter as she continued to gaze up at him. "I miss my petticoats, if I'm honest. I feel a bit exposed like this. You can see so much!"

"And yet, this is modest compared to what other women wear."

"True, Penelope's skirts are rather short, but she makes it look so good. And so does Jessica in her trousers. I don't think that I could wear them, but I understand why she might feel more comfortable in them." She let out a little breath of air before smiling up at him. "Has anyone been up in the attic recently?"

"There's an attic?" he asked.

Nodding, she let out a little giggle. "I'm surprised that you didn't know about it."

Aaron shrugged as he wiped his face clear of the remaining water residue and then dragged a comb through his hair to straighten it. "Dave never mentioned it, and if I were a betting man, he probably doesn't know about it, either. He only comes up here when he's hunting duck, and doesn't stay too long. Care to show me?"

The smile that spread across her face took his breath away, and he found himself returning the smile as they left the bathroom. Once in the hall, Erin reached for his hand, and he took hold of it without hesitation, and the firm grip helped settle him in a way that he was fast growing accustomed to. As she led him through the upstairs of the house, he marveled at the ease she had, though it made a bit of sense, since this had been her house, once. Finally, they reached one of the closets and she opened the door before stepping inside, feeling around on the back wall. Aaron heard a faint click of a mechanism moving, and then Erin was pushing against the wall and opened up a door. "Follow me."

He nodded as they began to head up the stairs. There were a number of cobwebs that they had to push through, but eventually they reached the top of the staircase with only a bit of dust and cobwebs on their clothing. Once up there, he looked around to see that there were a number of trunks and other pieces of furniture that he figured was most likely from around the time after the end of the war. A pleased squeal escaped Erin's lips and she let go of his hand to hurry over to an especially large trunk under the one window that illuminated the large room. "What did you find?" he asked as he reached her side, joining her in kneeling on the floor.

"This is my trunk that came with me when I married Mark. Which might mean that some of my clothing survived. Not that I'm not thoroughly grateful for Penelope's kindness in helping me choose more modern clothing, but these are mine, made for me, and it would be another small connection to my past."

He nodded as he patted her shoulder lightly. "Well, let's open it up and see what's inside."

"It would probably be easier if we brought it down to my bedroom. I mean, the bedroom. There's the electric lights to better see things by."

Aaron knew that she had flustered herself, so he made no comment on the small slip of the tongue before reaching out for a handle on the trunk. As he stood, he let out a small oof as he realized just how heavy the trunk was. "There must be a lot in here."

"I'll help you bring it down, don't worry. I'm stronger than I look." He nodded as she got to her feet as well, taking hold of the other handle and together they went over to the staircase and carefully made their way down. He was grateful that neither of them tripped, and then they were heading back into the bedroom, setting the trunk heavily on the floor. "Do you think we should head down for breakfast first? I know Jack is going to want to see where we are if we don't appear soon."

"Can you wait that long to find out what's in there?"

Erin shrugged nonchalantly, though he could see that there was a war between staying and going in her expression. "I've been separated from this trunk for this long, what will a few more minutes matter in the long run. Besides, Penelope will be leaving after breakfast, and I really want to say goodbye to her. It's been such a short time, but I already consider her to be a dear friend. She reminds me of my sister, Ariadne."

He nodded and brushed his hands off on his pants before extending one to Erin. She clasped it firmly, and together they went down to the kitchen. The table was already set, and Jack and Penelope were talking together when they appeared, which made his heart happy. Jessica looked up as they entered the room, and the smile on her face told him that it was going to be a good day. He led Erin over to the table, allowing her to take a seat next to Penelope while he sat next to Jack. As Jessica served them pancakes, he watched as Erin and Penelope bent their heads together, talking lowly about something, and he wondered what secrets they were sharing. Though he knew that it was good that Erin could find a confidante after everything that she had been through.

"I'll give Rossi an update on how things are going here, Hotch, as soon as I'm back in Quantico. And all the necessary documents should arrive by next Friday, Erin. It will take some doing, but with my skills, I should be able to get them together, and only be in slightly grey moral territory." Penelope looked him in the eye and gave him a small wink, which didn't settle him at all. "I cannot wait until you come home with Aaron, because there is so much that I want to show you. And you'll get to know our team better, too. I promise, we will do everything in our power to make certain that you find a home with us, Erin."

"I somehow have the feeling that you mean every single word, Penny. I will never be able to repay any of you for the kindness that you've shown me thus far." Erin took a deep breath as she stared into his eyes, and he watched the delicate play of emotion that swept over her face as she picked up her fork and knife, beginning to eat in an effort to keep control of her emotions. He gave her a small nod before steering the conversation in a different direction, hoping that this would allow Erin the time she needed to be present once more.


	16. Chapter 16

"Can I come up with you and see what you find in your trunk, Miss Erin?" Jack asked once Penelope had left, and Jessica frowned a little at Aaron. He nodded before looking at Erin, knowing that the decision would be up to her, ultimately.

"I think that I would like the company, Jack. Jessica, you can come with us, too. Might as well make it a family affair." His sister in law nodded as they headed for the stairs, Erin keeping hold of Jack's hand the entire way up to the master bedroom. The trunk was still sitting in the middle of the room, and he watched Erin elegantly fold her body until she was sitting on the floor, reaching forward to open the trunk.

The strong scent of cedar filled the room, and he listened to Erin sigh happily as she pulled out a worn leather Bible. Looking up at him, she gave Aaron a wobbly smile before handing it to him. Carefully, he brought it over to the bed and began to look through it, seeing that there was a small family tree written on the inside, ending with Erin's three children. "It looks like there was one thing written after you were placed under the curse, and that's the marriages of your children. I'll send a picture to Penelope, and she might be able to see if she can find out more information for you."

"Thank you, Aaron," she replied as she began to pull more items out of the trunk, including a gorgeous silver comb and mirror set. "It looks like everything in here is what I would need when I woke up from the curse. My babies thought of everything, except for the fact that I would be a lot later than we thought. Look, it's my best evening gown," she murmured as she lifted a dove grey dress out of the trunk. Getting to her feet, she held it to her body, and Aaron could see all the flourishes and flounces that decorated the skirt of the gown. "I wore this to the last ball before the War. I need to find a place to put this, to let the wrinkles air out."

"I'll hang it in the closet, Erin," Jessica said, taking the delicate garment from her hands and bringing it over to the closet and somehow finagling it onto a hanger before hanging it on the door. "What other treasures are in there?"

"Come see." Erin knelt down once more and pulled out a small wooden box. "I'll open this later, when it's just Aaron and myself, if you don't mind." Jessica shook her head, giving the box to Aaron, who set it next to him on the bed. The rest of the trunk was indeed filled with a number of things that would have made life easier for her when she woke up, and Jessica and Jack helped her put everything away before they maneuvered the trunk over to rest flush against the foot of the bed.

"All right, Jackers, let's head outside for a little while. I think that Miss Erin needs a little alone time," Jessica said as she gave the woman a small smile. Jack huffed out a long breath as he got to his feet, hugging Erin tightly before waving to his dad and racing from the room. "We'll see you for supper?"

"Yes." His short answer seemed to be all she needed before she followed after Jack, closing the door behind her. Once they were alone together, Erin joined him on the bed and picked up the box. "What's inside there?" he asked tenderly, knowing that it was most likely something important, given how she had reacted when she had lifted it out of the trunk.

"This is my jewelry box, Aaron. I only ever wore my wedding band usually." She held up her left hand, worrying the slim golden ring a little. "But this will have all the beautiful things that my husband gave me, and that I inherited from my mother." Reverently, she opened the lid and sighed as she rested her head against his chest as she lifted the string of pearls from the top of the pile of jewelry. "These were my grandmother's. They were supposed to be passed on to Tabitha, when she married, and she knew that. Why would she leave them in here?"

"I don't know, Erin. Maybe because she assumed that you would return soon enough to pass them onto her yourself. But now you have a sweet connection to your family, and I am so glad that we found this."

"I am, too, Aaron." She sighed as she dragged her fingers through the rest of the jewelry. "Oh, hold me before I shatter?"

He nodded and set the box safely between their pillows before wrapping his arms around her shoulders, allowing her to find a shelter from the outside world as she started to cry. Turning her face into his shoulder, Erin began to sob as she clutched at his shirt. "I have you. I'll always have you, for as long as you want me to. Maybe this isn't ideal love, not just yet, but my heart feels so comfortable with you. And that could very well be because of our shared grief, but I want to explore where things are headed with you."

"I think that is what I want, too, Aaron." She nuzzled her cheek against his shoulder before relaxing her grip around his waist. "These clothes are so thin, I can feel your heat bleeding off you in waves. I know that it's more than inappropriate, but there are things that I want to feel with you, to prove that I can still feel them. I trust you to be tender, Aaron. Tonight?"

"Yes," he whispered, feeling that same pull to be with Erin. There were things that he wanted to feel, too, and he was certain that in Erin's arms, his heart would start to heal and move on from the loss of Haley. "But only if you're certain."

"I have to be certain, Aaron. There's no going back for me. Everyone I once knew is dead, and I am relying on the kindness of dear strangers who have fast become friends. And more." Pulling away from him, Erin lifted her face and sought out his lips, giving him a tender kiss. As the kiss naturally deepened, she pushed him back onto the mattress, stretching out her body along his as she began to pepper his face with delicate little kisses, as if learning his features with her mouth. There was something so sweet about that, and he hated to put a pause in her exploration, but he knew that things would rapidly get out of hand if he didn't.

"Erin, that's enough for now. We'll have to go further tonight," he said reluctantly as he gently pushed her away from him. She sighed deeply as she flopped onto her back and stared up at the ceiling, her hand reaching out for his, threading their fingers together as they fought to catch their breath. "So, what did Penelope say to you at breakfast this morning?"

"Just reminding me that I could talk to her at any time I wanted, that you have a telephone, which is faster than a telegraph, and I can use it when I need to reach her."

"That is true, and I will show you how to use the telephone, but that wasn't what I meant, and I think you know that."

Erin chuckled a little beneath her breath and he watched her nod from the corner of his eye. "Penelope also said that I needed a Social Security number, and a form of identification. She said that she knew how to get me both, after taking a picture of me the other day. I never imagined that a device so small could take a photograph, and in bright color, no less!"

"That is one of the wonders of the modern world. When we head to my home, I'll catch you up a little more. Believe me, it's still overwhelming to me, and I have had more time to get accustomed to how things have changed than you have."

"I'll enjoy learning about them from you," she murmured as she turned on her side to look at him. "Now, I am going to choose a book from one of the shelves downstairs and head out to my willow. Would you care to join me until supper?" He nodded and they got off the bed, heading downstairs together.


	17. Chapter 17

Jessica had seen the looks they had exchanged all through the meal, and had wisely brought Jack upstairs at his bedtime, telling them that she had a bit of a headache and would see them in the morning. Erin had blushed as she nodded, welcoming the hug from Jack before he thundered upstairs. An awkward silence had filled the room after they were both gone, and Aaron wondered what was going through Erin's mind as they sat quietly, watching the fire crackle in the fireplace.

"Mark, Mark was my first, and only, lover."

"Just as Haley was mine."

"Oh, that makes me feel so much better." Erin fairly melted against him, her hand coming to rest on his knee as she let out a deep sigh. "I don't know if social mores have changed, but knowing that just, oh, I can't put it into words, I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry for, Erin. But I feel that I probably should allay another worry of yours. Haley and I had been separated for more than a year before I was attacked by Foyet and they had to go into protective custody. By the time of her death, it had been almost two years, and we were officially divorced, even though I don't think I ever truly stopped loving her. My job drove her away, more than I thought it would. So, when we become physical tonight, I will be going into it with a fresh slate."

"Mark left for the War eighteen months before I took the curse upon me. So, my slate will be fresh as well." Turning her head, Erin kissed his cheek tenderly before getting to her feet. "One thing that will be nice for you, there are less layers between me and you."

"I suppose," he murmured as he stood up, following Erin upstairs to the bedroom. The romantic side of his heart wanted to pick her up in his arms once more and carry her there, but that would be rather risky, since Jack would definitely have questions if he saw them like that. So he contented himself with watching the sway of Erin's hips as she elegantly climbed the staircase, blood pooling in his groin as he thought about the next step that they would be taking. He knew that it was quick, to just jump into this strange relationship, but there was also this feeling that it was incredibly right. And if what Erin had said about the curse was true, there was some element of true love and Fate at work. While he couldn't quite allow himself to fully believe that, after everything he had seen with the way Erin had changed from his stone lady of the lake into a real, breathing, woman, he knew that he was more than halfway there.

He closed the door to the bedroom before turning on the lights and gazing at Erin. There was a tender hesitancy to the way she looked at him, and he smiled as he closed the distance between them, encircling her with his arms as he drew her close to his chest, kissing her deeply as he reached up with one hand and ran the zipper on her dress down her back. As they continued to kiss, he pulled the dress from her shoulders and allowing the material to pool at her waist while he hastily untied her corset and tugged the laces apart enough so that she could slip out of it. He had quickly learned that that was the proper way to do things, when Erin had laughed gently at his muttered curses while relacing the garment that morning.

She stepped away from him and the dress fell to the floor as she stepped away from him and shimmied out of the corset, standing before him in just her chemise. Again, there was a hesitancy about her, as if she was fearful of his reaction, and Aaron wondered if it was the lights that were causing her to feel so self-conscious. "Do you want me to turn off the lights? If we were to just have the bedside lamps on, it might more mimic the lighting you're accustomed to."

"Thank you, Aaron, but no. I, I just find myself a little exposed." That was when he realized that while she was almost nude, he was still fully clothed, and he hurriedly stripped down to his boxers, wanting her to feel more at ease with the current situation. Looking at her face, he focused in on the deep blush that stained her cheeks as she tried to look anywhere but at him. "I suppose that now would be a thoroughly good time to tell you that I never truly saw Mark naked. And before you ask, as much as I loved my husband, we were both very proper people. My sisters teased me all the time for not being adventurous, but Mark wasn't that way, so I took my cues from him."

"There's nothing wrong with that, but you have to let me know if there are things you aren't comfortable with. All right?" Erin nodded as she drifted over to his side, allowing her arms to drop to her side as she looked up into his face. "So, my next question is, may I remove your chemise?"

"Yes, Aaron." She continued to look up into his eyes, even as he reached out and slipped the fabric off her shoulders, listening to the fabric slide down her body to pool on the floor. "May I?"

"What?"

"This," she replied as she stepped closer to him, hooking an arm around his neck as she captured his lips in a sharp kiss. There was something hesitant, but lovely, about the kiss, and Aaron gave himself over to it, allowing her to take the lead, knowing that it was important that she feel comfortable with everything they did that evening. Somehow, they ended up on the bed as they continued to kiss, and he wrapped an arm around her waist as they fell back onto the mattress. "Your kisses are delicious, Aaron."

"Yours are intoxicating," he replied as he reached up and took hold of her braid, tugging off the elastic and then hurriedly unbraiding it, allowing her hair to fall down around them. "I love your hair."

"Truly? Penelope and Jessica both have short hair."

"And that suits them. Yours suits you, and if you never want to cut it, I would be happy. If you want to cut it, I'd miss it, but that's okay if it makes you happy."

Erin's face broke out into a large smile as she leaned down and kissed him softly. "I was hoping that that would be the case." He nodded in reply, dragging his fingers through the hair before taking hold of it in order to hold her close as he deepened the kisses they were exchanging, feeling a deep hunger grow in him. Letting out a low growl, he turned Erin onto her back before breaking the kiss and pressing heated kisses down her neck and over her chest before sucking one nipple between his lips as his fingers continued to stroke and caress her skin, learning her curves as he went along.

A low, keening, sound dropped from Erin's lips when he dragged his fingers along her vulva before his thumb slipped between her lower lips in order to stroke her clitoris. He felt her hips start to buck and strain against his hand. Knowing that he had to give her some relief, he gently withdrew his hand before fitting his body between her legs and entering her slowly, wanting her to grow accustomed to how they fitted together. Soon, though, they were moving in tandem, and Aaron found himself overwhelmed by how right everything felt with their coming together.

Though he wanted to take his time and savor this first encounter with Erin, his body seemed to have other things in mind, as he found himself soon approaching orgasm. Wanting them to come together that first time, he once more began to stroke Erin's vulva, listening to her sigh and groan with pleasure. Finally, Aaron felt him tighten around him as her back bowed upwards, their chests touching as she started to orgasm, and he allowed himself to let go, groaning as his hips snapped against her as they found their completion. "That was wonderful," he panted as they snuggled together, and Erin nodded before letting her head come to rest on his chest, a soft, yearning, silence filling the room as they drifted off to sleep together.


	18. Chapter 18

After the first time they made love, something seemed to shift in the dynamic between himself and Erin. They seemed to be more in sync, and he found himself growing more and more tender towards her as he helped to bring her up to date with the modern world. There were times when she was completely imperious towards him, and he just looked at her with a small smile on his lips until she backed off and apologized. Though he caught her doing the same when he was being a complete prig, which had made him laugh the first time it had happened.

"All right, we return home tomorrow. I've already loaded your trunk into the back of my SUV, since you left out clothes for the day. Is there anything that you want to do on our last day here, separated from the world at large?"

Erin took a deep breath as she looked at Jack and Jessica. "This will sound silly, but I'd love for us to spend time in the boat on the lake, and then have a picnic beneath my willow tree. I don't know if we can all fit on the boat…"

"Jack can help me pull together the picnic while you and Aaron spend time on the lake. We could play a game together after lunch, though."

"Thank you, Jessica," Erin said as they cleared the table, and Aaron smiled at the way they bent their heads together, whispering back and forth about secrets not meant for him. A part of him wanted to know what was being said, but he also recognized that Erin needed confidants that she could feel comfortable with, in order to find her way in her new normal. "All right, let me grab my parasol and then we can head down to the lake."

Aaron nodded as he went to the door, waiting for her to join them. In short order, they were making their way to the dock, and then he was helping her into the boat. As she raised her parasol to protect her skin from the sun, Aaron moved the boat out into the water, watching her carefully. "I love how perfect you fit in here. Like you belong in a way that doesn't seem possible."

"According to my curse, I belong with you, so it makes sense that you'd view me this way. When we return to your home, you'll be going back to work. I didn't want to ask this, but as the time fast comes upon us, I think I'm going to be lonely. Would, would it be possible to have Jessica spend a lot of time with us?"

He could see that she was close to tears, and he leaned in as close as he dared without making the boat unstable. "I think that she would love to stay with us until you get accustomed to the rhythm of our new life." Erin let out a deep breath as she nodded, her entire body relaxing as she smiled. "And you'll have Penelope to talk with, as well. I know that she's been teaching you how to use the cellphone she brought up last weekend."

"And it's still hard to believe that a device so small can be in instant contact with her, even though she's so far away. Or that we'll be able to be a few hundred miles away in a matter of hours. Trains were never that fast back then."

"Trains have gotten a lot faster, though. There are high speed trains around the world that can travel nearly two hundred miles in the span of an hour." Erin's eyes widened as she stared at him. "I know, it's hard to fathom that, but there are also cars that can move that quickly, and airplanes move at over five hundred miles an hour. We've come to love speed now, but since I've been here, I've learned to appreciate slowing down and taking life as it comes. I think that it will be difficult to get back into the swing of work."

"Well, I'll make certain to take care of the house, so that's one less worry for you."

A soft blush stained her cheeks after she said that, and Aaron nodded a little, letting her know that it was okay that she was making plans like that, since his home would soon be their home. Somehow, he knew that Haley would be happy with how he had managed to find love again, when he had least expected it, and in the strangest of places. "I hope that you're happy with us. I really want us all to be happy."

"That's what I want, too, Aaron." Her smile widened a little as she leaned back slightly, angling the parasol so that it still covered her face. "Though I am going to miss my home. Well, your friend's home, now. I do hope that he'll allow us to visit from time to time. Because while my place will be by your side, a part of my heart will always consider this home."

He nodded a little as he placed the oars back in their holders, happy to just sit quietly and float on the water as they talked quietly together. The time seemed to pass both slowly and quickly, as soon they were watching Jack and Jessica troupe out to the willow tree, an honest to goodness picnic basket in her arms, a large checkered blanket in his. "I think that's our cue to join them, Erin."

"I think so," she replied as he picked up the oars and steered them towards the dock once more, hitching the rope around the post and holding the boat still so that Erin could climb out as gracefully as she could. "Here," Erin said, reaching out for his hand, and he grinned up at her as he took hold of it and used it to help him up onto the dock. Once they were on dry land, he slung his arm around her waist as they made their way over to the tree.

"Miss Erin! Come sit next to me!" Jack cried out once they were close enough to them. She glanced up at Aaron before nodding, stepping away from him to join Jack underneath the tree, sinking down to the ground with an elegance that took his breath away. Jessica giggled lowly and he gave her a droll look as he sat down as well, accepting the food that his sister passed over to him. "Daddy says that when we're home, you're going to be staying with us. You won't let any bad men hurt you, too, will you?"

Aaron felt his heart clench at those words, and he watched Erin carefully to see what her reaction would be. "Oh, sweetheart, no. I know that your daddy will protect us, since that is what he's best at, and he's learned from his encounter with the other bad man, so nothing will get to you, ever again. And I will do my best to protect you, as well. All right?"

"Okay!" he said as he snuggled in close to her, almost climbing into her lap as they started to eat. There was something so lovely about seeing them like this, seeing the natural rapport that had built up between them in the six weeks that they had been there. "I'm so glad that Daddy found his lady of the lake."

"Me, too, sweetheart. Me, too."


	19. Chapter 19

They had been home exactly two hours when Penelope showed up on their porch, bearing food. "Did you really think that I could stay away, Boss Man?" she asked as she sauntered inside, giving him a saucy wink before heading into the kitchen.

"Who's here?" Erin asked as she appeared on the stairs, wearing a different outfit than what she had worn on the trip home.

"Penelope. I really don't want to know how she knew that we would be here at this time, but she brought food, so we don't have to worry about cooking this evening, especially since we don't have any supplies in the house. Jessica said that she'll be here at seven with breakfast, and when I leave for work, she'll take you and Jack out for groceries."

"Oh, good. It will be weird not to see her after spending so much time in her presence."

He nodded as he held out his hand to her, and Erin clasped it softly before allowing him to lead her into the kitchen. Jack had already set the table for them, and he smiled to see that Penelope had filled wine glasses for the adults, while Jack had water in his. "Daddy! Aunt Penelope got my favourite Chinese food!"

"Chinese food?" Erin asked as she took a seat next to Penelope, leaving him to sit next to Jack.

"Oh, that's right, you've probably never had this kind of food before. I went with chicken fried rice, beef and broccoli, and kung pao chicken, along with egg rolls and pot stickers. You might not like the king pao chicken, but I think that you might like the rice dish."

Erin nodded as they began to pass around the cartons. Aaron noticed that she followed his lead in filling her plate, though she took smaller portions, and he caught her eye, giving Erin a small smile before snagging two egg rolls. "I have to grow accustomed to new things, since everything about this world is so new to me. Change can be good though. Yes?"

"Yes." They shared a wink before Erin picked up the chopsticks in confusion. "Here, you might find it easier to use a fork at this point." He got up and rummaged in the utensil drawer before pulling out said fork and handing it over. "What wine did you open?"

"Well, since you only have red here, even though you know that I prefer white, I went with the open bottle of shiraz. You owe me big time, mister!"

"Shiraz?" Erin asked as she picked up her glass, swirling it around and sniffing the drink delicately. "Oh, this is quite a dry red wine, isn't it?" Taking a sip, Erin sighed with pleasure, and Aaron grinned as he took a sip of his wine as well. "I will happily drink this for the rest of my life, it is so delicious."

"Well, you can have my portion, then, Erin. I'm glad someone likes it." Penelope nudged her gently with her elbow before digging into the food on her plate. "So, I heard from Rossi that we will for certain be headed out on a case tomorrow morning. Cruz wanted us to leave this evening, but Rossi reminded him that you were coming back tomorrow, and it would be better if the whole team was together, rather than relegating you to desk work for the entire week, depending on how long it takes. I hope that you have a go bag ready, since it sounds like it will be wheels up almost as soon as I've given the briefing."

"Do you know where we're heading?" he asked before taking a bite of an egg roll. Though Erin was quiet, he could tell that she was paying complete attention to what was being said, as if she wanted to know what his job entailed.

"Rossi thinks it will be Texas, which means it will be a two and a half hour flight. Given that they're an hour behind us, the earliest you would land would be nine, their time. And before you say it, I will be fine heading in early to get all the preliminary data gathered for the team. Again, Cruz probably wanted me to come in tonight and start that work, but I had better plans. Namely, making certain a sweet lady settled into her new home safely."

Erin blushed a little, then, taking a large sip of wine before sighing. "Aaron has graciously cleared some room for my clothes in the closet and dresser, and my trunk is at the foot of the bed. I will want to head to a general store at some point to pick up fabric so that I can make a new quilt for our beds, if that's all right with him."

"If that's what you want, we can arrange that, Erin. And it will be a dedicated fabric store that one of us will take you to." Her eyes widened a little in shock, and he nodded. "I told you, things have changed. I mean, if you wanted, Penelope could probably show you on the internet the plethora of fabrics that are available to you these days. But you'll also need a sewing machine for that project, yes?"

"Sewing machine? Aaron, those are not for home use. You make a quilt by hand, as it helps fill up the long nights while you're talking with your loved ones."

"Oh!" Penelope exclaimed as she looked at Erin. "Did you make your clothes, then, too?"

"No, those were made for me by the local seamstress. My husband drew the line at my frugality with that, since he wanted to prove to our neighbours that we were well off enough not to have to make our own clothing." Erin let out a sharp breath. "I wish that I had something other than my handkerchiefs to show of what I made from my other life. But at least this way I get to start anew."

Penelope nodded as the conversation continued, and he found himself hooked on Erin's every word, seeing that she was so happy to tell Penelope about the different stitches that she knew how to do by hand. Glancing over at Jack, he saw that his son was quickly losing interest in what he saw as a boring conversation, and he reached out to ruffle his son's hair. "Daddy, did Mommy know how to sew?"

"No, she never took the time to learn that, since she was too busy in school participating in the drama club. But everyone has different abilities, and it will be so nice to find out what Miss Erin likes to do, won't it?"

"Yeah. Do you think she'll play soccer with me?"

Aaron looked up at Erin, seeing that while she was talking with Penelope, she was still listening to their conversation as well. There was a small questioning look on her face, and he shrugged, letting her know that he would explain later. "I think that she might, if we teach her how, since I don't think she'll have played that before."

"I can do that!" Jack grinned up at him, and then dug back into his food, allowing Aaron to weave his way back into the conversation that Erin and Penelope were having, feeling like his family was finally starting to come back together after the sorrow that they had been through.


	20. Chapter 20

The case had indeed taken an entire week to close, and while he had spoken to Jack and Erin every night, Aaron found himself missing being with his family, and the jet ride back from Texas just made him antsy to be on the ground in Quantico, heading towards home, and not having to stay at his office and finish up the backlog of paperwork that he was certain awaited him. "How was the transition back to work, Hotch?"

He looked up at Morgan, giving him a small shrug before gesturing for him to take the seat across from him. "It was more difficult than I had thought it would be. I was itching to be out in the field and catching unsubs, but once I was there, all I could think of was home and Jack. I feel like so much of his life is passing by without me, but I'm more driven than ever to take down unsubs. Because I need to protect him and make the world a better place for him to live in. I'm just so glad that Jessica is with us, because she has been a godsend."

"She does seem really levelheaded. Was she there with you for the whole two months?" Dave asked as he took a seat next to Aaron, handing him a mug of coffee.

"Yes, which helped the transition, as well. Jack is still feeling a little lost about certain things, and having family surround him has made him fell a little more settled. Or, at least I hope that it has. I hope that Foyet hasn't fucked him up for the rest of his life." He very carefully stepped around any mention of Erin, since he wasn't quite ready to share her with the team yet, not even his best friend, since he wasn't entirely certain of how to explain the fact that he had met a woman from the past and managed to fall in love with her over the span of six weeks. "But now Jack seems to think that the mansion you call a cabin in the words is his property, and has mentioned wanting to go back."

Dave laughed as he shook his head. "I suppose that I could be open to letting you all spend more time there, since Jack deserves a happy place to go, away from all the shit we see and unconsciously bring home. Just let me have an extra key made, and then you can just let me know when you want to head up there, so that we can make certain I don't have a hunting trip planned for then. And it is not a mansion."

"That's what Jack calls it, since it's much larger than our house. And thank you, by the way, for getting everything moved back into our house. I was so relieved to not have to deal with that when we got home."

"It was the least I could do, after what the two of you had been through. But, I do have a question. Penelope never really explained why she kept going up there. Care to share?"

Aaron brought the mug to his lips, using that to create a small space between them before he answered. "She just wanted to make certain that we were all doing okay. And truthfully, I think that she also wanted a little of a break from the horrors she sees every day. You and I both know that she's more sensitive to the things that she sees. And after she had to listen to that phone call…well, I would do anything to protect her soft heart."

"Hey, that sounds a lot like you're planning on moving in on my girl. Is this the point where I have to tell you that if you hurt her, I will break your knees?" Morgan teased, and he shook his head as he laughed.

"No, Penelope is a dear friend, and things are going to stay that way."

Derek nodded as he leaned back in the seat. "Good. Besides, I don't think that Cruz would like it if the Boss Man started dating our technical goddess."

Aaron said nothing in response, merely sipping at his coffee as a small bit of quiet filled the cabin. Glancing around the plane, he saw that Emily and JJ were fast asleep, their heads resting together in a sweet display of friendship, while Reid was rapidly devouring some thick Russian book. All seemed to be well with his team, and he was grateful that his extended time away had not affected them in any discernable way. "Are you headed home as soon as we get back?" Dave asked once Morgan had turned his music on, shutting them out from his thoughts.

"I wish that I could say that I was, but I know that there is probably so much paperwork to catch up on that that won't be possible."

"Did you think that we would leave you with a backlog? Hell no. Derek and I kept up on everything. And your report can wait to be written Monday."

"I'd rather get it over and done with, rather than have it loom over my shoulder for the weekend. Usually it doesn't take me too long to pull the preliminary data together, and Jack will be going to sleep by the time we touch down, anyway, so I won't be missing any time with him. I need to get accustomed to the rhythm of things again."

"All right, Aaron, you've made your point. Just, don't be afraid to ask us for help. Derek and I were taking care of the paperwork half of your job while you were out, so we both know how to do it. We can support you, and we will."

He gave his best friend a small smile as he nodded. "I truly appreciate that, Dave. Especially since Jack seems to be acting a lot like me, in that he holds his pain close to the chest. I'd rather he act out, but that doesn't seem to be his way of grieving."

Dave gave him a sympathetic look. "I can sympathize, since I know that grief is a tricky beast. When I lost James, I just shut myself away from the world, because I was certain that no one else could understand the grief that I was going through, not even Caroline. It's why we drifted apart. All I can tell you is just like you're going to be there for him when he needs to let it all out, I'll be here for you, when you need that shoulder to lean on."

"Thank you," he replied as the plane started to prepare for landing. Once they were on the ground and taxiing to the hangar, he pulled out his phone to check for any messages. There was one from Jessica letting him know that Jack had gotten to sleep without incident, and that she and Erin were going to spend some time together talking as she had been asked to spend the night again. He tapped out a quick reply, letting her know that was fine, and that he would be at work for a couple of hours still, since he needed to finish up the report before he headed home. "I am going to try to be more open, at least with you. I don't think I can afford to shut myself up again." Dave nodded as he smiled at Aaron, and as they arrived at the hangar, he knew that things would be all right with time.


	21. Chapter 21

Thankfully, the report wrote up quite easily, and it felt good to know that the only thing he'd have to do when he arrived at work Monday morning would be to add the other reports to what he had already written. Letting out a satisfied breath of air, he saved the report on his hard drive and his cloud, knowing that Penelope would yell at him if he didn't take such precautions. Finally, he made his way over to the elevators, his go bag slung over his shoulder. No one else was there, which suited him just fine, as he didn't want to make small talk in that moment.

The drive home passed by quickly, and then he was home, parking in the garage before grabbing his bag. His first stop was the laundry room, where he dumped his dirty clothes into the washing machine before making his way upstairs, expecting to find Erin in their room. There was no one there, and he dropped the bag on top of the trunk before crossing the hall and checking in on Jack. He was still fast asleep, his stuffed dog clutched tightly to his chest, and Aaron smiled as he went to his son's side, crouching down and pressing a tender kiss to his forehead before pulling the covers up a little higher around his body before leaving to look for Erin.

He knocked softly on the guest room door, smiling a little to hear Jessica groggily answer him. Turning the handle, he peeked his head inside. "Hey, Jess. Where's Erin?"

She glanced over at him over her book. "If she's not in your bedroom, she probably is still in the living room. She told me that she wanted to get a little more cut out before heading up to bed. Did the case end well?"

"As well as cases can. I always want to catch the unsub before he hurts another person, but this time, we were unsuccessful in rescuing the last victim." Aaron let out a long sigh. "I'm going to go down to the living room. Are you planning on staying the weekend?"

"No, I'll head home after breakfast tomorrow. You need some alone time with Erin and Jack."

"Do you think I'm moving too quickly?" he asked, suddenly wanting her opinion on where things were heading.

"No. I don't know how many times I can tell you this, Aaron, but hearts are fragile, funny, things, and if you can find happiness and love again, after what happened to my sister, I won't begrudge you that. Especially not when Erin so thoroughly adores Jack, too. She's good for us."

"Thanks, Jess. See you in the morning."

She nodded, and he backed out of the room, closing the door behind him before turning around and heading back downstairs. It didn't take long for him to reach the living room, and a low chuckle spilled from his lips to see that the coffee table had been turned into a fabric store. Then he glanced over to see that Erin had fallen asleep on the sofa, a pair of scissors in her hands, and he smiled as he crossed over to her side, kneeling down and gently removing the heavy shears from her hand and setting them atop the fabric piles before leaning in and kissing her tenderly.

"Oh, you're home! I guess I was more tired than I thought. I've been piecing together Jack's quilt, after Jessica and Penelope brought me to the fabric store Tuesday. The fabrics that they had there! And the new tools. I tried not to spend too much, but Penelope told me not to worry about cost, that this was her gift to me. Aaron, she's already bought me new clothes, and now this. Why is she so kind to someone she doesn't really know?"

He helped her to sit up so that he could take a seat next to her, stroking her hair lightly as he took a deep breath. "Penelope is one of the kindest women I have ever met in my life. She loves large and easily, and I think that there is a part of her that sees you as her project, along with a part of her that looks to you like a mother figure. She lost both her parents when she was Tabitha's age at the onset of the curse, so she may be seeking to help heal that wound in your heart."

"That is probably the sweetest thing I've ever heard. Would you take me to bed now, though? I find myself growing quickly tired once more, and want nothing more than to be in your arms right now. I hope that you don't mind the mess, but I'm not to the point of being able to clean up yet."

"This is fine, Erin. Come, let's to bed." She giggled a little as she nodded, getting to her feet at the same time he did and clasping his hand as they went over to the staircase and made their way up. "I missed you while I was gone."

"I missed you, too. I'm still getting used to calling you, and being able to hear your voice, even though you're so far away. And I am far from comfortable with the internet, even though Jessica has tried to give me so many pointers. It just feels too much for me, I'd rather write a letter or read a physical book. Maybe that will change with time, but for right now, I don't foresee that changing."

"There's nothing wrong with that, Erin. There are even some people who were born in the last two decades that prefer physical books, too." She nodded as they stepped into their bedroom, and he smiled as she stepped away from him to quickly undress, noticing for the first time that she wasn't wearing her corset, but a modern bra and panty set. "That's new."

"A gift from Jessica. Since it would be a little awkward to ask her to help me with the corset, and she's not here all the time. I hope you don't mind if I wear my corset when you're home to help me, though. I find that I prefer that over these, since there's so little to cover me."

He nodded as he watched her unclasp the bra, the move looking awkward to him, though those thoughts were soon pushed to the back of his mind as he took in her breasts, seeing the way her nipples were tightening beneath his gaze. "There's something to be said about both types of undergarments."

"You just like the fact that these are quick to get out of. Is that why they were invented?"

There was a teasing, though imperious, tone to her voice, and he shrugged as quickly undressed, stopping once he was down to his boxers. "I think that I read somewhere that women invented them because they were less confining than a corset. But seeing the way that you move so easily in one, I am inclined to think that that is not the truth." A wide yawn caught him off guard, and he knew then that the most they'd be doing that evening was sleeping, but that was all right, since they had two other nights to be more intimate, and he went over to the dresser and pulled out a pair of sweat pants, puling them on before heading back to the bed. Erin frowned a little as she went over and pulled out her own nightgown. "If we relax now, we can wake up early and welcome in a new day."

A slow smile crept over her face as she nodded. "I rather like the sound of that, Aaron," she said as she smoothed the nightgown down over her legs before crawling into bed next to him. "Because I have missed being close to you." He nodded before kissing her deeply as she pulled the sheets up around their shoulders, hooking her arm around his waist as they fell asleep exchanging sweet kisses.


	22. Chapter 22

"So, tell me about your new partner."

Aaron looked up at Dave over the book in his hands. That was one new habit that Erin had passed on to him and Jack, and he found that it helped settle him while out in the field after a long day spent dealing with the dregs of society. "What makes you think that I have a new partner?" he asked before trying to turn his attention back to what he was reading.

"Well, that answer sort of tells me that I'm right. And you've seemed a lot more at peace with yourself these days. I remember when we first met, and you and Haley were trying for a baby. There was that same feel about you then as now. So, when did you meet her, and why have you kept her under wraps from all of us?"

He knew that he would never be able to lie his way out of answering Dave's questions, they had known each other too long for that to happen, so he placed the bookmark in his book before closing it and setting it on the nightstand as he sat up a little more and took a deep breath. "I've been keeping Erin close to the vest because it's rather awkward to explain how we met."

"What, did you walk in on her in the shower at the gym or something?" Dave teased as he plopped down on his own bed, staring at him intently. Aaron let out a snort of laughter as he shook his head. "Oh, then did she come across you flat on your ass after tripping over your own feet?"

"No, nothing like that. We actually met thanks to you."

That caught Dave's attention immediately, and he leaned forward as a look of sheer delight covered his features. "Why do I not remember introducing you to someone? Were we both drunk at the time?"

"No," he replied shortly, knowing that he would have to tell the whole story now, and hope that his best friend wouldn't think him insane. "So, have you explored all of your property at the cabin?"

"Not really, but I know that I don't have a single neighbor."

"You're going to think I'm insane when I tell you this. I still think that I'm insane, but seeing as how three other people can corroborate this story, I don't think that it's a case of _folie au deux_. So, across from your cabin, there's that huge willow tree. And, up until two months ago, there was a statue of a beautiful woman beneath it. Here." He grabbed his phone and unlocked it, calling up his photos and scrolling through until he had gotten to the ones he had taken of Erin while she had still been under the effects of her curse. "This is what the statue looked like."

Dave took hold of the phone and brought it closer to him, swiping through a few of the pictures before handing it back to him. "Yeah, I've always wondered about that statue, it's so lifelike."

"It was the woman whose family used to live in your cabin, David." His friend raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "And before you say that Garcia told me that, you'd be partially right. I did have her research the history of your property after certain things started happening. Like the fact that the statue started gaining color. And then, after learning more about the myth of Pygmalion and Galatea, I did the crazy thing and kissed her."

He called up the latest picture that Jessica had taken of the three of them together, out in the park on Sunday. Erin looked completely out of date, as she had worn one of the day dresses that had been in her trunk, and they had tried to ignore the looks from some of the other parents there, knowing that their opinions didn't matter. Smiling down at the image, he again showed his phone to Dave, watching his eyes first narrow and then widen in shock. "That's not…"

"It is. I don't even pretend to understand how it happened, or the fact that I have to believe in some sort of magic that permeates the world that we live in. Though it just seemed to prove to Garcia that the world truly is full of magic. I'm still skeptical."

"I would be, too, Hotch. But this is completely uncanny. I've studied that statue when I've been at the cabin, I've made up a thousand stories about who sculpted her or who she was in real life. And now, you're telling me I can actually talk to her and know the answers to the questions I have. She's just as beautiful like this as when she was marble."

"Let me guess, you want to meet her now?"

Dave nodded. "I have to meet the woman who helped fix my best friend's broken heart. I know that you're still grieving, but that burden seems to be so much less now that this Erin is in your life. But did you really have to fall for a woman who has a name that sounds the same as yours?"

Aaron chuckled as he shrugged. "I don't think that there really was a choice there, honestly. I fell for her before I knew what her name really was, and it's not like I can ask her to change something that makes her, her. And at least we're not both named Jamie. Then it would be same sound and spelling."

"That is a very good point, Hotch. So, can I come home with you after this case and have dinner? I'd be willing to shell out for the food."

"I think that Jack would like to see his Uncle Dave, and it would be nice to introduce Erin to more of my friends. It is so hard to keep this under wraps, since I don't want people to judge me for moving on so quickly. But you know that Haley and I had been separated for so long before she was murdered, and even though I still loved her, I had learned to move beyond that pain, otherwise I would have driven myself insane. But Erin has helped heal this wound that was my heart, and she's great with Jack, too." Sighing, he set his phone on top of his book and then looked back at Dave. "Haley's last words to me were that I needed to find love once more. I think that I should feel guiltier that it happened so quickly, but I don't."

"Aaron, it's not like you went out a remarried her best friend two weeks after she died."

"That sounds like a personal story."

Dave nodded. "One of my friends from church. His wife died in a car accident on Thanksgiving, and he was married by December twelfth. His children were livid and to this day, still don't talk to him or the new wife. That is a much different story than what's happened between you and Erin." Leaning forward, he patted Aaron's knee and then stretched out on his bed. "I suppose that the real question that I need to ask of you is, have you two slept together yet?"

"And you don't think that's a little personal?" he asked drolly as he followed suit, slipping beneath the covers and turning onto his side so that he could look at his friend.

"No, I've told you about my escapades."

"This is true, but I'm still not going to fill you in on the intimate details of my relationship with Erin. The most you need to know is that we are a couple in every sense of the word." Dave nodded, a knowing smirk on his lips as he reached out and turned off the bedside lamp, darkness falling over the room as they readied themselves to sleep.


	23. Chapter 23

"All right, remember the ground rules. None of your ribald humor, no strong language, and for goodness sake, don't hit on Jessica. She's seeing someone."

"Oh? When did that happen?"

"Shortly after we returned from your cabin. She seems happy, too, and I want to keep her that way, since Erin relies on her presence so much."

Dave nodded as he rubbed his hand over his goatee. "I hear you, Hotch. And don't worry, I'll be on my best behavior."

Hotch nodded as they stepped out of the elevator. "I will see you at my house then. Jess texted to let me know that the food should arrive in forty minutes, which should give us enough time to get there without them having to wait on us." Dave nodded as he went over to his car, and Aaron smiled as he pulled his keys out of pocket and unlocked his car, hurrying over and throwing his bag in the passenger seat before leaving the parking lot and heading home.

The drive was quiet, and he found himself humming along with the radio as he drove, finding his heart lighter in his chest than it had been in ages. Penelope had wanted to come to this little dinner party, but he had quietly told her that it was better if this happened in a smaller group setting, that there would be time to spend with Erin later. She hadn't been the happiest with that news, but he also knew that Erin was calling her quite often, so it wasn't like he was cutting off contact between them. Finally, he was home, though, and as he pulled into the drive, he saw Erin and Jack in the front window, obviously waiting for him.

Aaron waved at them before parking in the garage. As he closed the door, he saw Dave pulling in, and then he went inside. "Daddy!" He heard Jack's feet pounding on the floor and braced himself for the whirlwind that was his young son. Soon, Jack was skidding to a stop in front of him before wrapping his arms around his legs and hugging him tightly. "Aunt Jessica said that she'd wait for the food, if we wanted to bring Uncle Dave into the living room and talk before the food gets here. Do you know what we're having?"

"Uncle Dave did not tell me what he ordered, but if I had to guess, it's probably Italian."

"Ooh, spaghetti! Nice!" Jack took hold of his hand and dragged Aaron into the living room, where Erin was waiting for them on the sofa, Jack's quilt spread across her lap. "Miss Erin! You'll like Uncle Dave. He tells the best stories."

"I'm certain that I'll like all of your father's friends, Jack. He has good taste in people." She smiled up at them before bending back down over her work. Aaron was still amazed by the quick, small, stitches that she made in the fabric, the results looking like she had used a machine to sew the fabric together. "I think that I'll have your quilt done in a week, Jack, and then I can start on ours."

"I can't wait, Miss Erin!"

Dave cleared his throat, and Erin looked back up, a dazzling smile spreading across her face. "You must by David Rossi. Aaron has told me so much about you." She set aside the quilt and elegantly rose to her feet, instantly slipping on the persona of charming hostess as she crossed over to the doorway, holding out her hand to him. Aaron watched Dave clasp it lightly before gently kissing the back of it, and Erin blushed a little as she shifted on her feet.

"And you, of course, are his Erin. Though I only recently found out about you, so you have me at a distinct disadvantage. Something that I hope will be rectified by the end of the evening."

"Perhaps," she softly replied before pulling her hand away and slipping her arm around Aaron's waist. "Now, before Jack's stomach growls any louder, perhaps we should head to the dining room and eat? I believe that he said something about spaghetti?"

From the way Erin said that last word, he knew that she had no idea what the dish was, and he smiled to think that this would be another first for her to experience. "I did bring spaghetti for you, kiddo. But I went with lasagna for the adults. Along with a nice bottle of Pinot Noir that should pair well with the dish. I hope you drink wine, Erin."

"I do, though I am still growing accustomed to the sheer amount of varieties available. Penelope introduced me to one called Shiraz, and I fell in love with the taste. Aaron has been most kind in making certain that we always have a bottle of it on hand."

Aaron chuckled a little as he led them into the dining room, still in a bit of shock at how easily Erin could put on a different mask. He wondered if this was how she had hosted parties with her husband, before the War had separated them and changed her entire life. "I like to make certain that the people in my life are well taken care of, what can I say?"

Dave nodded as Aaron brought Erin over to the foot of the table, pulling out the chair for her before he took his place at the head. He wasn't surprised in the least that his best friend chose to take the seat closest to Erin, since that is exactly what Aaron would have done if their roles were reversed. "You seem to have made this house come alive again, Erin. I was worried that this place might never feel like home for them again."

"I have done my best to fit in as naturally as possible. I know that it will always be a little difficult, since Haley hasn't been gone that long, but from my point of view, Mark has never really been gone. He just went off to war and I woke up in the presence of a whole new world. I think that we're both learning to live again after the traumas that we've been through." Erin looked away from Dave to stare into Aaron's eyes. They weren't so far apart that he couldn't see the microexpressions on her face, and he nodded a little before picking up his wine glass and taking a small sip. Erin copied his movement and then glanced at Jessica. "And it truly helps to have women like Jessica and Penelope who are so willing to help guide me, so that I don't make any major missteps."

Those words made Aaron feel a little guilty, since he had discouraged Penelope from joining them that evening, and he let out a little sigh of frustration as Erin and Dave began to speak lowly to each other. Jessica caught his expression, giving him a tiny smirk as she dragged him into the conversation, making him feel like a part of things. "I don't think that you're making any mistakes so far. Penelope is a great teacher of technology. Even if you don't care for laptops and the internet."

"Yes, well, there are just some things that don't come natural to me. I was surprised that I took to the cell phone as easily as I did. Oh, darling, I was going to ask. Would it be possible for us to purchase a piano? I need something to do with my hands besides sew, and Jack is of an age where he can learn to play, as well. I know that it would be a rather dear purchase, but…"

"But we have a weekend to look." The smile that spread across Erin's face stole his breath, and he knew that he had given the right answer. "My mother played as well, so it would be nice to have music back in the house."

"Thank you," she murmured, a faint blush staining her cheeks as the conversation shifted onto another topic, and he gave her a small nod before answering Jack's question and continuing to eat his meal.


	24. Chapter 24

Aaron could tell by the piece Erin was playing on the baby grand piano that they had bought last month that she had gotten news that had upset her. It was amazing how quickly he had been able to discern her moods that way, but it also helped him to understand her better. Dropping his bag off in the laundry room, he then made his way into the front room, walking in as quietly as he could so as not to disturb Erin while she played. Still, she glanced up at him and gestured with her head that he should take a seat next to her on the bench, and he nodded in response before doing just that.

"I'm so transparent to you, Aaron."

"I'm a profiler. My job is to know how to read people, and since I love you, you're that much easier to read. What's troubling you?"

"I had to have Jessica take Jack out to the park so that I could work my feelings out on the piano. I couldn't even work on our quilt, I was too worked up to keep my stitches neat and even." The song came to an end and she turned a little so that she could look at him. "Penelope's found one of my descendants, now that I gave her more details to work with in regards to my children."

"And why is that throwing you off kilter?"

Erin sighed as she turned back to the keyboard, her hands automatically starting to play a different song as she breathed in and out deeply. "Because I don't know if I want to meet her. I had considered my past a closed book, and that there would be no turning back to what was left behind. Now, however, I have a link to that past, and I can't tell her the truth of how we're related. I know that Penelope meant well, but now I'm left feeling like I'm being torn between two very difficult decisions, and I don't know which choice to make."

He nodded as he listened to her continue to play, knowing that that would be the best thing for her in that moment. Finally, that song came to an end, and then he rested his hands atop hers, drawing them off the keys and onto their legs. "I know I can't make this decision for you, but I can talk you through whatever is going on in your brain. Has Penelope reached out to this woman yet?"

"No, she said that she'd wait until I told her what my decision was, she just wanted me to know that she was living in our area, and so it would be easy enough to meet her in a public space. Her, her name is Tabitha, and I think that may be partially why I am so uncomfortable with meeting her. If she carries my daughter's name, she might also carry her face, and how would I be able to explain breaking down into tears at the sight of her?"

"But you might also find comfort in seeing your daughter's face living on through one of her descendants, too. And if I know Penelope, she will most likely have a printed dossier available for you to look at the next time she's over, so that you can see any public pictures of this Tabitha, along with getting to know her before you go meet her. And I would go along with you, if you wanted to meet her, so that you would have some moral support."

Erin sighed as she nodded. "That would be nice, yes. Thank you. Between the music and your presence, my heart is so much lighter now."

"Good." He leaned in and kissed her softly as he ran his hand down her braid and quickly pulled off the hair tie, unraveling her hair so that it spilled around her body. "I know, you don't like your hair down during the day, but I love seeing you like this. Humor me?"

"Of course, Aaron. Are, are you certain that you don't want me to cut it?"

"No, please keep it long. I love the way you look with your curls spiraling around your shoulders. And I find myself happy that I get to learn how to braid it when I'm home. Penelope's even mentioned that there are videos online that can show me how to do different types of braids." Erin let out a soft laugh before she kissed him, her hand tugging at the short hairs on the nape of his neck. "How long do we have until they're home?"

"Enough time if you text and ask her to bring back food for supper."

Aaron nodded as he grabbed his phone, sending off that text before getting to his feet and holding his hand out to Erin. She clasped it without hesitation, and together they made their way upstairs. She had lost some of her inhibitions in the time that they had been together, and he relished these moments that they could steal away for themselves, since they were so few and far between.

Once they were in the bedroom, Aaron closed the door with the heel of his foot as he wrapped his arms around Erin's waist, leading her over to the bed. Once there, he ran the zipper of her dress down her back and pulled it off her arms before hurriedly undressing himself. Together, they tumbled onto the bed, and he lost himself in the beauty that was Erin. She met him kiss for kiss, caress for caress, until they were both experiencing higher and higher planes of pleasure. He let out a sharp cry, muffled by her hair, as they came, and then he was collapsing on top of her, holding her close as they fought to catch their breath.

"I love you," she breathed out before nuzzling her nose against his collarbone. "I'm so tired, darling. Would you mind if we napped for a little while?"

"No, that's fine. I'll set an alarm for forty minutes, so that should give us enough time to get dressed and your hair pinned back up before Jack and Jessica arrive home." Erin let out a deep breath as she snuggled close to his chest, pulling up the sheet around their shoulders as her breathing started to even out against his skin. "Sleep well, dearest."

Erin muttered something unintelligible, and he chuckled a little as he tightened his hold on her waist, listening to her fall asleep. He wasn't entirely tired, so he dragged his fingers through her hair, working out some of the tangles that had appeared after their lovemaking. "Penelope, what kettle of fish have you cooked up for Erin now?" he murmured as he pulled away from her a little so that he could look into her face, seeing how relaxed she looked in sleep. "I know that you mean well, because you want only the best for your friends, but we have to take things so carefully when it comes to Erin."

Erin frowned a little before closing the distance between them once more, her hand splaying out on his chest as her features evened out once more. Taking that as his cue, Aaron bent and placed a soft kiss on her forehead before allowing his eyes to close as well, sleep easily overtaking him as he held tightly to Erin.


	25. Chapter 25

"Do you think that I look all right?" Erin asked as they pulled into the parking lot of the National Zoo. "I knew that I had to dress more modern, and I left my hair down, since that felt more natural, but now that we're here, I feel like I'm still out of phase with the world. What if she knows the truth just by looking at me?"

"You look fine, and don't worry, there's no way she'd know unless you told her something, and I know that you'll be choosing your words carefully." He found a parking spot and turned the car off before leaning over and kissing her cheek softly. "And I'll be right by your side. If things start to get awkward, I can try to think of something witty to say, hopefully to put you both at ease."

Erin giggled slightly as she nodded. "All right, I think that I'm ready to go out and meet my relative." Aaron slipped the keys into his pocket as he exited the car with her, taking hold of her hand as soon as they were next to each other. The zoo was busy for how early it was, and he thought that would be a good thing, since there was less likely to be a scene if things went badly. "We're supposed to meet her by the Conservation Carousel," she said as they entered the zoo, picking up a map to study.

"What is it, Erin?" he asked lowly as he guided them over to a relatively secluded corner of the entrance they were closest to.

"I've never heard of some of these animals, darling. How am I supposed to act like they're second nature to me when I feel like I'll be gawking?"

"If you feel like you're too dumbstruck, just turn to me and smile. You're a charming hostess, Dave can attest to that, and if you draw on that, everything will be fine. Now, let's start our way back to that carousel." Erin smiled easily as she once more took hold of his hand and they moved into the throng of people. There were a few times when they stopped, and Erin would tighten her hand around his tightly as she gazed at one of the cages. "Aren't they magnificent?"

"Yes." Her smile eased a little as she cocked her head to one side. "Our zoo was nothing like this. It amazes me to know that something like this can exist."

He nodded as they moved on from that exhibit, and soon enough, they were at the carousel. Aaron knew the exact moment that she clocked Tabitha, as the grip on his hand grew so painful, he was reminded of when Haley had been in labour. "Well, are you going to go say hello?" Erin gave a jerky nod before moving forward once more, fairly dragging him after her until he matched his steps to hers.

"Erin?"

The voice took him by surprise, since there was a touch of Erin in it. She didn't seem to notice his surprise, since she just nodded and stepped forward, holding out her hand. "Yes. You must be Tabitha." The younger woman nodded as she shook Erin's hand. "I have to say, I'm glad to finally meet another of the descendants of our family. I'm new to this whole genealogy thing."

"That's okay. I was surprised to be contacted, since I thought that I knew all the branches of our family. Though there are always a few unknowns in everything. I thought that we could head over to the restaurant and grab a bite to eat while we talk? I've always found things to go a lot more smoothly when food is involved."

Erin nodded and followed close to Tabitha's side, leaving him to take up the rear, trying not to listen too much to their introductory conversation, since he didn't want to feel like he was intruding. "And this is my partner, Aaron Hotchner. I didn't think it was wise to bring his son with us, since there would might be some delicate conversation that I don't want him to overhear."

"I left my kids at home, too. They'd be begging to run off and explore while we did boring adult talk, and you don't want to hear that much whining, believe me. I love them, but there are times when I just want to have a little space to breathe. Did you start your family later in life, then?"

Erin looked up at him and smiled tightly before turning her attention back to Tabitha. "Actually, I have three adult children, Jack is Aaron's son with his late wife. It's a bit awkward, to be sure, but I love having another chance at motherhood. How old are your children?"

"Eight and eleven. Good ages, but ready for a little bit of independence. My heart is really not ready for that, but I know that this is the only way that they'll grow." After their food came, Aaron listened to the women talk, noticing that it sounded more natural and easy as the minutes ticked by, and he answered when addressed, though he was content to just listen for the most part. "Well, this was great! I'll email you back with my contact info, and you can add me on Facebook if you want, but I really should be getting back to my little gremlins. Hopefully, we'll talk soon."

Tabitha reached across the table to shake Erin's hand once more, and then she was shaking his before she left the restaurant. Taking a quick peek at his watch, he saw that they had been there for only two hours, but it seemed longer than that. Erin must have felt the same, as she sagged against his body as she listlessly poked at the last of her food. "I think that I'd like to explore the rest of the zoo for a little while, before we head home. For some reason, even though that went well, I feel off balance."

"Of course, Erin. The day is ours to do with as we please." Reaching out, he patted her thigh softly before sliding out of the booth. Erin soon joined him, and then she was taking hold of his hand once more. "I think that you'd like to see the penguins. They're Jack's favorite animal to see here."

"I think that I would, Aaron." The smile that she gave him this time was a little more strained, and he drew in a deep breath as he tapped his thumb against her hand. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Erin." He brought up their hands to his mouth so that he could kiss the back of hers, and she sighed with pleasure at the tender gesture. They slowly made their way to the penguin enclosure, and this time, true joy spread across her features when she took in the birds.

"I should have brought a jacket," she murmured as she shivered lightly, and Aaron nodded as he let go of her hand to wrap his arm around her waist, holding her closer to his side as they watched the birds swim. "I think that I could stay here for hours, just watching them."

"It's hard to drag Jack away, too. There is something about penguins that just enchants him." She made a soft sound of agreement as her head came to rest on his chest as they quietly watched the birds, and he found himself content to just stand there with her, growing closer without ever saying a word.


	26. Chapter 26

It amazed Aaron how quickly Sundays had become family day for them, something that Erin had insisted on, even when he was stuck out of state on a case, and he found that he loved just sitting in the living room, watching her work on their quilt, while Jack either read or played video games. Jessica would sit in the chair she had claimed as hers, picking up knitting and swearing quietly under her breath when a particular stitch or row didn't go as she wanted it to. Thankfully, Jack didn't seem to pick up on what she was saying, though Aaron had to usually suppress his laughter so that his son wouldn't pick up on anything.

But now, four months after they had come home, two months before Christmas, he began to notice that though Erin was still opening up to him, there was a bit of hesitation on her part at times. Knowing that she was very close to Jessica, he decided that that would be his way in to finding out what was bothering her, so that he could fix it before having to break down and ask her. "Jess, I'll help you clear the table today," he said as they got up after the meal. Erin gave him a surprised look, but he just smiled placidly at her before leaning over and kissing her cheek softly. "You mentioned that you wanted to get our quilt finished before Christmas, so this will just help you achieve that goal a little bit."

"That is so kind of you," she whispered before kissing him once more. "Come along, Jack, let's get out of their way." Jack nodded and jogged out of the room, followed shortly after by Erin.

"So, why did you want to get rid of them?"

Aaron turned from the door to look at his sister in law, giving her a small frown. "Was I that obvious?"

"Aaron, I've known you since we were in high school. Of course I know how to read you. But judging by the look that Erin gave you, she also knows that you wanted to get me alone. So, what is on your mind?"

He let out a deep sigh as he picked up the plates, watching Jessica grab the utensils and cups before they went into the kitchen. Taking a spot in front of the sink, he began to rinse off the plates before handing them to Jessica to put in the washer. "Erin's bothered by something, and I can't put my finger on what. I know that I'm supposed to be a great profiler, but there are times when I can't read her. Though I try not to read my loved ones, because Haley often told me that it bothered her when I was trying to manage her reactions and expectations. Has Erin said anything to you about what's upsetting her?"

Jessica let out a frustrated sigh as she placed the last plate into the washer. "For a profiler, even one who's not trying to read his lover, you sure are dense sometimes, Hotchner." He gave Jessica a questioning look, and she rolled her eyes as she held up her left hand and then tapped her ring finger. "She is a woman from the Civil War era, Aaron. They followed a different moral code than we do today. It is so easy for us to just fall into bed with our lovers and not have a marriage to bind us together. She doesn't have that same worldview, and I think that even though she loves you and you love her, a part of her is terrified that you won't stay with her, and that she'll be left as a fallen woman, with no way to make a living in this new world she finds herself in. And what was the only profession a fallen woman could get during her time?"

"Prostitution," he replied quietly, suddenly shamed by how unthinking he had been. "So, how do I salvage things before this wedges us further apart?"

"You just have to do as Beyoncé says, and put a ring on it. Let her know that you're serious about staying with her, and that marriage is in the future. I'm not saying you have to marry her tomorrow, but if you start with the promise of that, I think that would go a long way to allay her fears. Unless you don't see yourself staying with the woman you woke up from a curse with true love's kiss for the rest of your life?"

He shook his head as his shoulders dropped a little. "I want to stay with her forever, Jess. She's so quickly become our everything, Jack adores her, and you've become a dear friend to her, even when you had every right to not accept her in our lives. The fact that something this perfect happened to us after what Foyet tried to do still boggles my mind. Erin doesn't even mind the scars I still bear, both physical and emotional. Do you think that you could keep her occupied for a few hours so that I can talk to Jack about me marrying Erin, and if he's okay with that, us heading out to a jewelry store?"

"I think that I can more than do that. She's been teaching me how to sew like she does, so your quilt will have a piece of me in it as well. Literally and figuratively. Thankfully, we've been able to get out the small bloodstains so far."

He smiled at Jessica as she turned on the dishwasher, and then took a deep breath. "Penelope is going to kill me, you know."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't clue her in on this happening. She likes to know everything about what's happening in our lives, and that can get a little overwhelming, even though she means the best. I think that need stems from the fact that she was shot and almost died, but I have to draw the line somewhere, I guess."

"Yeah, she does mean well. But just let her know that you wanted to keep this moment private, and that you didn't even tell Dave what you were planning on doing. Which, as long as you don't text or call him before you ask Erin, will be the truth. And since he's your best friend, she won't have room to complain."

"Ah, this is why I'm so glad that you've stayed a part of our lives. You can see things that I can't at times."

Jessica grinned as she shrugged. "Sometimes, all it takes is a woman's touch, Aaron. And I'd go with something understated, when you're looking at rings. From what I've seen about her, she prefers elegance and loveliness over showy and gaudy."

"I will keep that in mind," he replied as he smiled at Jessica. "Thank you for answering me so honestly. You could have just told me to ask Erin, which I probably should have, but it was good to just talk with you, too. You'll always be a part of our family, no matter who enters it."

She let out a choked breath as she stepped forward and hugged him tightly. "You were always so kind to me, Aaron. That is the one thing that I think I'll always love about you. Now, as soon as you get a yes from Erin, we're throwing an engagement party, and since it is so close to the holidays, we can make it Christmas themed. And the first person you're going to invite will be…"

"Penelope?"

"Bingo, buster. She's been such a good friend to us, after all." He nodded and then stepped away from Jessica, suddenly knowing that he didn't want to put off asking Erin to stay in his life for another moment.


	27. Chapter 27

"So, I have a question for you, Jack. I have fallen in love with Miss Erin, and I want to make things a little more official and permanent between us."

"We're not getting ice cream?"

Aaron chuckled as he nodded. "We'll get ice cream on the way home, yes, but I have a question first. Depending on how you answer will determine if we have another stop to make before we get ice cream for everyone." Jack nodded solemnly and Aaron smiled at him in the rearview mirror before returning his full attention to the road. "Now, as I said, I want to make Miss Erin's role in my life a little more permanent. And the way to do that is to ask her to marry me. That doesn't mean she'll replace Mom, but she would be like a mother to you. Would you be all right with my asking her to marry us?"

There was a long pause, and Aaron felt his heart lurch in his chest a little as he anticipated Jack telling him that he was not okay with Erin marrying him. That would be fair, since the only mother he had ever known had been Haley. He hadn't felt comfortable dating, hadn't wanted Jack to feel like he had to choose between his mother and a new partner of Aaron's. Finally, he glanced up at Jack once more, seeing that his son was smiling softly to himself, and Aaron knew then what his answer would be. "Yes! I love Miss Erin, Daddy."

"I am very glad to hear that, Jackers. So I guess that our next stop is going to be at a jewelry store, so that I can choose the perfect ring for her." Jack nodded a little more enthusiastically this time, and Aaron grinned back before turning up the radio as he finished the drive to the mall. While he might have wanted to purchase something a little more over the top for Erin, Jessica's words reverberated through his mind, that Erin would want something a little more understated. And for that, heading to a more affordable option was the right choice in this case.

It didn't take long to find a parking space, since it was just a few hours until closing time, and he took hold of Jack's hand, bringing him inside. While they passed the different stores, he noticed Jack looking into a few of them and wished that he had the time to stop and go into a few. "We'll come back again, with more time to look, okay?" Jack nodded and stepped closer to Aaron's side, his grip tightening around his hand.

"Are we going to go in here, Daddy?"

Aaron nodded as they paused outside Zenks. "I think so, Jack." He entered the store, making a beeline for the engagement rings. Thankfully, there were a few other people in the store so he was able to look at the rings in peace. Jack tugged on his sleeve after a few minutes, and Aaron picked him up without looking away from the display.

"Have you found one yet?"

He chuckled as he shook his head. "I've only been looking for a few minutes, Jack." He cuddled his son close to his chest as he continued to intently study each of the rings available to him. Finally, he saw a ring that caught his attention for more than a few seconds, and he felt a smile curve across his lips as he nodded. "I think that's the one."

"Can I help you, sir?"

Aaron glanced up at the young woman who had suddenly appeared in front of them, giving her a small nod. "Yes. I believe that I've found the perfect ring for my partner." He pointed to the braided rose gold band that framed a small round diamond. The clerk pulled out the tray with the ring that he wanted before picking up the one that he wanted, holding it out to him. "This will suit her perfectly."

"Excellent. And do you have her ring size?"

Aaron blanched as he realized that he had forgotten one key detail. "She's rather slim, but has long fingers. I'm assuming that her ring size is about a six. This was a rather spur of the moment decision."

"That is the case about fifty percent of the time. Thankfully, we do provide free ring sizing if you do happen to purchase a band in the wrong size." She gave him a small smile before gesturing towards the tray once more. "Are you certain, though, that this is the one? We have other, larger, diamonds available."

"Erin isn't an ostentatious person, this is the one that will suit her perfectly." The woman nodded as she put the tray away and brought the ring into the back with her. While he was waiting for her to return with the right sized ring, Aaron set Jack down and pulled his wallet out of his pocket, grabbing out his credit card to pay.

"All right, I've found the size you think she'll need, and included literature on how to care for it, and how to get it resized, if necessary. Is there anything else that I can assist you with this evening?"

"No, I think that's it," he replied as he handed over his card, not balking at the almost fourteen hundred dollar charge that was going on there. He had more than enough money in his savings account to cover that price, especially since the FBI had been rather generous with him, following Haley's murder. A part of him considered it hush money, but it was still a way for him to save for Jack's college, when that day came, and now it would help him start the first step towards his future with Erin. "Thanks for your help," he said as he signed the receipt and then picked up the bag containing the ring before slipping his card back into his wallet. "And now, we're off for ice cream. Do you know what kind you want?"

Jack nodded excitedly as they went back out to the car. "I do! If I can get anything that I want."

"Within reason, Jack. There will be limits, since it will be close to your bedtime by the time we return home." Jack pouted a little as he climbed into his car seat, and Aaron tried to swallow his smile as he reached out and ruffled his son's hair. "So, what do you think that you want?"

"A hot fudge sundae with extra fudge, and sprinkles, and whipped cream, and nuts, and three cherries!"

"Three cherries, huh?"

"Yes! You have to have extra fruit, then it's good for you, that's what Aunt Jess says."

Aaron chuckled as he shook his head a little. "Well, I suppose I can't really argue with that logic. We'll see, though, when we get to the ice cream store." Jack grinned at him as he closed the door, and Aaron just knew that it would be difficult to tell his son no, not when he was buzzing with anticipation over the ring that he wanted to present to Erin. "I just hope that I get something that Erin will like. I know you and Aunt Jessica, but there are still so many things that I've yet to discover about Erin." He wasn't really expecting an answer from his son, since he had said that last bit so quietly, but he still looked back at Jack as he pulled out of his parking space, feeling like there was nothing in the world that could take him down from this moment in his life.


	28. Chapter 28

Jessica had happily agreed to put Jack to bed after their impromptu dessert, and he smiled thankfully at her when she leaned in and hugged Erin before shoving his shoulder lightly on her way to take Jack upstairs. The moment they were alone in the living room, Aaron felt an almost uncomfortable feeling fall between them, and he let out a deep breath as he touched the ring box in his pocket. "So," Erin started as she picked up her quilting once more, staring at it as she took a few deep breaths, "I have this feeling that you didn't just go out for ice cream with Jack. You were gone too long for that to be the case. Is everything all right?"

Aaron cleared his throat a little, knowing that what he said next would determine the course of their relationship for the foreseeable future. "Yes and no. I love you, and I know that you love me, and even though it's been such a short time that we've been together, I know that I want to make this last forever. I felt, though, that there was something troubling you, and I asked Jess."

"She's such a dear friend."

"I know, that's why I asked her about this thin wall between us, something that I wanted to tear down before it grew thicker. That's what happened to Haley and me, I just didn't recognize the wall until it was too late. I don't want to make that mistake once more. Which, I suppose, is the longwinded and thoroughly unromantic way to ask you this. Erin, will you marry me?"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring box, fumbling with it in his hands a little as he held it out to Erin. She rested the quilt in her lap as she picked up the velvet box, turning it over in her hands as she looked between it and him. "You know I don't have a dowry, that all I have in this world is a gift from you, and I am beholden to you for everything."

"That's not true, Erin. We have your trunk upstairs, after all. And you have brought Jack so much happiness and stability. I know that things between you and your descendants hasn't panned out the way that you'd like, but you have made strong friendships with Jessica and Penelope. Even JJ seems to like you, which is unusual, since she doesn't make a lot of close friends. But once you're in her inner circle, you're there forever. I think it also helped that Penelope is best friends with her, too." He looked pointedly at the ring box before back at her face. "Despite everything that I thought might be difficult for you to overcome, you've managed to thrive in this world. I don't need you to bring money into this marriage. I need you to bring joy and love and hope, which is exactly what you've done. I don't care for making grand speeches, as I think you've picked up on, but I need to let you know just how much you mean to me. Please, will you do me the honor of being my bride?"

Erin smiled, her eyes glimmering in the lamplight as she nodded. "I would love to be your wife, Aaron." He nodded as he picked up the ring box once more, opening it. Erin let out a soft gasp, holding out her hand to him as he plucked the ring out of the box and slid it onto her finger. It was a little large, since it slid on quite easily, but it wasn't large enough to where it would be constantly falling off. "This is beautiful, Aaron."

"I'll take it to be resized, so that it fits a little better…"

"No, I can wrap thread around it, to make in snugger. I don't want to remove this, not when I just received it." The smile on her face turned sweet, and Aaron nodded as he leaned in and captured her lips in a fierce kiss. Her hands cupped his face, drawing him in closer as their quilt fell to the floor in a heap. She didn't seem to notice as she tugged him closer to her as they stretched out on the sofa. "I love you," she said breathlessly as he began to trail kisses down the curve of her jaw and then down her neck before burying his face in her cleavage.

A delicately cleared throat broke through the haze of her passion, and he tore his mouth away from more delicious pursuits in order to look up at Jessica, seeing the bemused, almost embarrassed, look on her face. "I was coming to congratulate you on your engagement before I went home, but it seems like you started the celebration before I could do so."

Erin let out a breathy laugh as she gently pushed him away so that she could sit up. "Here, look at what Aaron bought me," she said as she held out her hand towards Jessica. "Isn't it beautiful?"

"He chose well. I'm glad that you're becoming a part of our family, permanently." Jessica squeezed Erin's hand before stepping away from them. "Now, I'll leave you to continue what you started. Jack passed out like a light the moment his head hit the pillow, so you shouldn't have to worry about him interrupting anything until the morning. I'll see you both later." She gave them a small wave before turning and leaving the room. Moments later, the front door closed and then locked, and he kissed Erin once more before getting off the sofa and picking up the quilt, setting it on the coffee table before helping her to her feet.

"If you wish to continue this…?"

"I wish that very much, Aaron," she murmured as she curved her body around his. "I didn't think that a simple ring would set my heart at ease, but here we are, with me feeling so settled and you finding the means in which to do so." Erin clasped his hand firmly as they made their way upstairs, and he made certain to hold on until they were by the bed. "Undress me?"

"All you had to do was ask, Erin." He made quick work of her dress, easily undoing the laces with a practiced ease before he loosened her corset and tugged it off her, knowing enough now to hang the dress up so it wouldn't wrinkle. After stripping down to his boxers, Aaron returned to her side, unpinning her updo and then hurriedly undoing the braid, allowing her hair to hang free to her waist. "I don't know when you'll want to get married, but Penelope and Jessica can help you with the planning, including if you want to have a traditional church ceremony, or do something a little more modern. It's all up to you."

"Umm, we can talk about details later, darling. Right now, I want you to kiss me."

"All you had to do was ask," he murmured before bending down and kissing her deeply, his hands pushing the shift off her shoulders and letting it fall to the floor before he lowered her to the bed and then shucked off his boxers as he covered her body and captured her lips in another bruising kiss. "I could spend every last day of my life kissing you."

"And I would let you, if we didn't have Jack to think of." He nodded as he thrust into her pliant body, smiling against her lips as she wrapped a leg around his waist, urging him deeper with every thrust. "I will always be willing to find this pleasure in your arms, however, when we can steal away moments like this together." Those were the last coherent words they were able to get out as passion overtook them and they cemented their love for each other with the physical act of sex.


	29. Chapter 29

"Does my hair look all right? I actually went on the internet and looked up different ways to braid hair, since I wanted to do something special for our party. Even if I am choosing to go there in a dress that is decidedly not of this century."

"You look completely ravishing. This is one of the dresses from your trunk, yes?"

She nodded as they got out of the car and he went over to her side, taking hold of her hand. "This is actually the dress that I wore to our anniversary dinner with my parents. It took me so long to sew, and I think there still might be a little bit of blood on a few of the seams." Erin smoothed her hand down the skirt as she looked up into his eyes. "They won't think it odd, right?"

"No. I think that Penelope has managed to let them know that you beat to the sound of your own drummer, and that it is a good thing. We all need to be confident enough in who we are to not care about what others say. And that is what I see in you." They paused on the stoop in front of Dave's home, and he used the brief moment to kiss her softly. "I love you for who you are, and I don't want you to feel like you have to change, just to fit in."

Before Erin could reply, the door opened, and Dave's grinning face appeared before them. "Aaron! Erin! You've finally arrived."

"Are, are we late?" Erin threw him a desperate glance, and he shrugged as he shook his head. "David, did we get the time wrong?"

"No, you're here on time, but I'm just accustomed to Aaron being early for everything."

She nodded as they went inside. He wasn't surprised when Dave wrapped Erin into a tight hug, kissing each of her cheeks before hugging him. "Yes, well, Jack was a bit disappointed that this was going to be an adult party, since he thought he should be included since we're becoming a family once Aaron marries me."

"That kid uses some great logic. I'm sensing he's either going to be a lawyer or a profiler, just like his daddy." Dave gave him a small wink before tucking Erin's hand into the crook of his elbow and leading her into the back garden. Aaron heard his fiancée gasp with pleasure when she saw that the patio was strung with fairy lights, lending an ethereal glow to everything. Penelope was already there, and the moment that she saw them, a loud squeal of happiness slipped from her throat as she ran over to their sides.

"Erin! Do you like? I was just putting the finishing touches on the tables for our supper. I wanted to make certain that everything looked perfect for this. I think Rossi was about ready to strangle me a few times." Taking a deep breath, Penelope grinned before tugging Erin into a tight hug. "You and Aaron just mean the world to me, I want you to know. Oh, and I have a lead on a seamstress for us."

Shooting a sharp look at Aaron, Penelope lead Erin over to the tables, and he chuckled as he fought to keep from rolling his eyes at being so quickly separated from his fiancée. "Kitten's right, there were a few times I just wanted to strangle her or shoo her out of the backyard. But I must say that her attention to detail has made your Erin quite happy. That dress. Is it original?"

Aaron nodded. "It was in the trunk we took home from your cabin. She's afraid that the others will judge her, but I'm hoping that they're better than that."

"I gave a brief rundown to them, saying that Erin liked to reenact, except instead of the Middle Ages, she went for the Civil War. That's all they need to know, since I highly doubt they would understand where she really came from." He nodded as he looked over at the two women, seeing the way their heads bent together as they talked, almost like they were sisters. "I'm just sad that I wasn't the one who thought of kissing the statue first, as it might have been me she was marrying."

He laughed as he heard the doorbell ring, knowing that the others were starting to arrive. "I don't think that it would have worked that way, since the curse had to be broken by true love's kiss. But nice try." Aaron patted Dave's shoulder before letting him head inside as he went to join Erin and Penelope by the tables. "This is beautiful, Penelope."

"I had to do right by my Boss Man and his lady! Though I still wish that you had read me in on what you were planning to do. I so could have hooked you up with my jeweler."

"I think that this is perfect, Penelope. Elegant and simple, understated." Erin closed her eyes as she smiled through a happy sigh. "And I wouldn't change a thing about it. Now, you are coming over this weekend, right? We have plans to make, after all."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world. And before you ask, Hotch, I will spring for food. Use Saturday as a day to spend time with Jack, and come home for a late lunch." She winked broadly at him before looking over his shoulder and waving at someone. "Der's here now, I'll be right back." Before he could say anything else, Penelope had leaned in and kissed his cheek quickly before scurrying over to the other man.

"She is a whirlwind, I know. But we have a more concrete date for our wedding, darling. It's going to take slightly longer for my dress to be made, so instead of May, which would have been a lovely month for the wedding, it's looking like August will be our target. Since that is an awful month for heat and humidity, I was thinking that we could have the wedding at…at the cabin."

"I think that we can make that work." He smiled gently at her before kissing her softly. "And Dave will love an excuse to head up to the cabin and celebrate. Do you want to have the ceremony outdoors, beneath our willow tree?"

"God, no, Aaron. The bugs from the lake? The heat? I would faint dead away before we even got partway through the ceremony. No, the library will be the perfect pace to hold the ceremony, since I don't expect that we'll invite too many people. Your team, obviously, and their partners, and Jessica and Jack. But we both know that there's no one from my side of the family coming."

He nodded, wanting to ask more about what she and Penelope had planned when Morgan ambled over, an easy grin on his face. "I don't believe that we've been formally introduced, even though I know so much about you, thanks to how much Hotch here talks about you. I'm Derek Morgan."

"Erin Strauss," she replied easily, holding out her hand to him. He shook it softly before stepping back a bit. "I've also heard a lot about you, and how you like to kick down doors. Doesn't your supervisor care that you cause so much damage to houses that the FBI then has to pay for?"

Derek laughed richly as he shook his head. "I only kick in doors when necessary, Erin. But if these are the kinds of stories that Hotch is telling, I am going to need to spend more time with you, telling all the stories that we have about him." Erin let out a soft giggle as she nodded. "Oh, I will enjoy filling you in on what our leader has conveniently left out of the conversation." He grinned at Hotch as the others came over to join them, taking their seats at the table as the caterer arrived and began to lay out the food. And just like that, Erin was a part of their group, and he knew that things would be okay from there on out.


	30. Chapter 30

Aaron tried not to pace the room as he waited for the harpist to change songs, letting him know that Erin had arrived, but he felt so nervous about seeing her for the first time. She had refused to allow him to see any progress pictures of the dress, and even Penelope wouldn't give him any hints, though he knew by the way Jessica was dressed that it would definitely be something reminiscent of the Civil War. Finally, the traditional wedding march began to play, and all their guests rose to their feet and turned to face the doors as Jack opened them.

He felt his breath taken away when Penelope finally was far enough down the makeshift aisle for him to catch his first glance of Erin. She was in an ivory dress, slightly belled with what he assumed were the hoops that she liked to wear beneath her dresses. A row of ivory buttons ran down the front of the bodice, accentuating her bust, and it nipped in waist, while her sleeves were full of volume, with an inner sleeve that clung to her skin and ended in a pair of lace cuffs. There was a long veil attached to a crown of peonies on her head, and once he noticed that detail, Aaron felt himself tear up, a wave of love sweeping over his heart.

Finally, Erin was at his side, and he let out a deep breath as he stared at her face. Through the veil, he could make out that Penelope had artfully applied a light layer of makeup, not anything that would stray away from Erin's clean features, just accentuating her high cheekbones and making her blue eyes stand out a little more. Somehow, they made it through the ceremony, and even though it was his second one, Aaron found that he caught just as much of it as he had his first ceremony. All he could truly focus on was Erin, how beautiful that she looked, how love radiated out of every pore of her body, and how lucky he was to have found her statue here so many months ago.

After hearing the signal to kiss her, Aaron leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss, not wanting to take things too far in front of their family and friends. Still, he could hear Dave whistle a little in the background, and he shook his head a little as he deepened the kiss and felt Erin's arm tighten around his waist as they continued to embrace. Finally, though, he knew that they would have to end the kiss, and they turned to face their guests before starting down the aisle to the harpist playing a vaguely familiar tune that he couldn't quite name. Once they had stepped out into the hallway, he paused and looked at his wife, smiling softly at her. "I love you, Mrs Hotchner."

"I love you, too, Mister Hotchner. What's next?"

Penelope joined them in the hall, grinning at them as she handed Erin's bouquet back to her. "You forgot to take this with you. And we're going to take pictures while the caterer gets the tables and food set up on the lawn. I think that taking a few beneath your willow would be beautiful, and I'll carry your hem so that this gorgeous dress doesn't get grass stains."

Jessica joined them as well, holding Jack's hand while Dave and Sean brought up the rear. He still couldn't believe that Penelope had worked the minor miracle of getting his brother to actually appear for the ceremony, and that they had been able to reconnect a little. Nodding to Sean, he took Erin's arm once more and glanced to watch Penelope gather up the hem of Erin's skirts in her hand, lifting it so that it was an inch or two above the ground as they headed out to the willow tree.

The photographer arranged them in different configurations, taking picture upon picture of them, and soon his cheeks felt like they would fall off from the smiles he had to keep on his face. "All right, I'd like to do a few nonstandard poses with the bride and groom. Is there a blanket that we could put down on the ground?"

"I'll run and get one," Penelope said as she carefully dropped the hem of the gown and took off for the cabin. While they waited, the photographer took a few more pictures of the rest before shooing them away, leaving them alone. Aaron used the brief moment of space to wrap his arms around Erin and hold her close, swaying to a tune only he could hear.

"Have I told you how blessed I am to have you in my life?" he murmured as Erin rested her cheek against his chest, taking care not to crush her flower crown. She made a little noise of agreement as he ran his hand up and down her back. "I am so glad that I took Cruz's mandate to get away from the office for two months, as I would never have met you. Coming here was the best decision of my life, and now we're going to be together for the rest of our lives."

"That sounds so wonderful. I love the way you say forever. It makes me so hopeful." He nodded before bending his head and kissing the crown on her hair. "I know, you probably would have liked my hair to be down for the ceremony, but there's just so much of it, and it made the veil look odd. Though if you'll help me, we can take it down for a few pictures and give Penelope the veil to take care of while we pose."

"I think that I would love that very much," he replied as he looked at their photographer. "Could you give us a few minutes to do this?"

"That's fine," the woman replied as she checked a few things on her camera.

Aaron gently removed the peony crown before folding the veil over his arm and pulling out the pins that held up the braid, sticking them in his pocket, since he knew Erin would want to reuse them rather than purchase new. As soon as the braid dropped down over her shoulder, Erin was pulling off the hair tie and then running her fingers through the rope of hair, letting it fall loose around her waist. "You look so beautiful like this," he replied as he settled the floral crown atop her head once more. "Even the baby's breath seems to highlight your beauty."

Erin blushed a little as she shrugged. "You love makes me feel beautiful." She kissed him then, as Penelope returned to their sides with a large quilt. "Would you take my veil back to house, please? I'd hate for it to fly away."

"Of course, Erin. Oh, I cannot wait to see how these pictures turn out, you're going to look so amazing!" Penelope kissed Erin's cheek lightly before treating Aaron to the same gesture, taking the veil from off his arm before heading back to the cabin. As soon as she was gone, he and the photographer spread the blanket out beneath the tree before he took a seat and helped Erin to join him.

It was so easy to wrap his arms around her waist and hold her close as they joyously smiled up at her, following the directions that she gave them until it seemed like she had taken all that she had in mind. "All right, let's head to the reception, and I'll continue to take pictures of everything." Aaron nodded as he helped Erin to her feet, quickly getting the blanket folded and then he was gathering up the hem of Erin's wedding gown and making their way back to the house, ready to celebrate the first hours of their married life with their friends.


	31. Chapter 31

"I am so glad that you chose a place like this for our honeymoon, Aaron. It still amazes me that something this tranquil exists. I feel like we've stepped back in time to when I'm from, even if there are cars everywhere."

He nodded as he tugged on a piece of her hair that had escaped the tight braid she had made that morning. "That's why I wanted us to get away to the forest today. Because I wanted these two weeks to be about us relaxing, without Jack. Even if he's going to bug us to take him on his own trip soon. Maybe for Christmas, we could head down to Disney for a week, even if it will be busier than New York City that week."

"He does deserve a trip with us, yes." She paused on the trail and gave him a cheeky grin. "Take a picture of me and send it to Penelope? She said that she wanted proof we were enjoying our time here."

"That sounds like her," he muttered through a chuckle as he pulled out his phone and took a few pictures of Erin before going over to her, slinging an arm around her waist and holding the phone so that he could grab a few shots of them together. Before he moved away, Erin kissed him, holding him close as she deepened the embrace, pulling him backwards until her back hit a tree and they were breathing heavily. "You do realise that there are too many people milling around to continue to fan this flame, yes?"

"I know, but I still want you to kiss me again. There's nothing wrong with kissing so long as we stay clothed and you keep your hands on my waist. Yes?"

"Yes," he agreed as he leaned in and gave her another kiss, slipping his phone back into his pocket as their kiss became heated once more. There was something so lovely about being outside, the sun dappling their skin through the leaves, as they allowed their passion to flow between them. Finally, though, he knew that they were getting a little too close to crossing that unspoken boundary, and he reluctantly ended the kiss before stepping away from Erin. As he looked at his wife, Aaron felt his breath taken away by how lovely she looked with her face softened and relaxed, a soft flush to her cheeks as she breathed heavily, tucking a few pieces of stray hair behind her ears as she bit her lip. "Are you ready to walk a little more?"

"Yes. I want to see the ocean, Aaron."

He nodded as he bent and picked up the hat she had brought with her to protect her face from the sun, setting it carefully on her head before taking hold of her hand and guiding her back to the carpark. Stopping by the vehicle he had rented for their time there, Aaron grabbed the cooler that contained their lunch, along with the blanket Erin had bought. "There should be enough time to dip your toes in the water, too, if you want."

"Maybe. At least with these shoes, it won't take forever to take them off and put them back on. That is one thing that I truly love about this era. The ease of the clothing, even if I'm not fully on board with wearing all things modern. Yet."

"Well, I love your style, so don't change unless you want to. I know, I keep telling you that, but it remains true."

Erin nodded as she snuggled in close to his side. "I don't think that anyone could tell me what to do, Aaron. Even Mark knew that I have a stubborn streak a mile long." He couldn't help but laugh at that comment, and Erin sharply dug her elbow into his side. "Don't laugh!"

"Yes, Erin. But I think that I knew you had a stubborn streak from the moment you and I first started our relationship. You're just a tiny bit bolder about it now, because we're more comfortable with each other. And I rather like the easy banter that we have developed here, because you just seem to understand what I need after a long case. As much as I loved Haley, she just didn't get that side of me that wants to bring every single unsub I can to justice. That desire has only grown since her murder, and you seem to understand that inherently."

"Because Mark had that same burning desire to do what was right, no matter the cost. The rest of his family fought for the South, but he couldn't. He knew that slavery was a vile institution, and wanted to see its end. I just wish that he had lived long enough to see that it was abolished. The fact that you have a black man on your team would have made him so overjoyed. And because I see that part of him in you, it's made it that much easier to support you."

He nodded and led her to a secluded section of the beach before handing her the basket so that he could spread the blanket out on the sand before reaching up for her hand, helping her to sit down before they broke into the food that she had packed. As they ate, they kept up a light conversation, and he asked her more about her family, about the ones she had lost. It was a subject they had danced around until this point, but the fact that she had opened up about her first husband seemed to be a signal that it would be all right to ask her for more. She, in turn, asked him more about Haley, and for the first time since her murder, Aaron found it easy to talk about her. The ache was still there in his heart, but it had lessened since their marriage.

"All right, I'm going to test the waters now." Erin leaned over and pecked his cheek before slipping out of her shoes and stockings, setting them on the blanket before picking up her skirts and delicately walked down to the beach, stepping into the water. Aaron could tell by her posture that she loved the sensation, and he pulled out his phone to take a few more pictures of her.

"Erin, look at me!"

She turned, one hand holding onto her hat as she grinned at him, and he took a few shots of her as she continued to smile, heading back towards him. "Are you going to join me in the ocean? The water is a bit cool, but there's something so invigorating about the way the waves lapped at my ankles. I know that the hem of my skirt is a little wet now, but you at least can roll up the legs of your trousers."

Nodding, he hurriedly pulled off his shoes and socks, managing to get trousers rolled up to mid-calf before he clambered to his feet and took hold of Erin's outstretched hand. Together, they walked into the water, and he chuckled a little as Erin took hold of his phone, snapping a few pictures of him before tucking the device back into his pocket and turning to look out at the horizon once more. "What are you looking at?" he asked lowly as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

Erin rested her head on his chest, flattening the brim of her hat a little. "Nothing and everything. It's so vast and beautiful and it feels like the promise of the future, of our future together. The distance between us should have been just as vast, and yet here we are, together, committed to finding our way in a world that sometimes makes no sense to me and sometimes feels so familiar that I expect to see my children come around the corner and greet me. I love you, I love this life, and I look forward to what we build together." He nodded before squeezing her waist gently, his heart filled to bursting with love for Erin and the family they were creating together.


	32. Chapter 32

When Erin joined him in the living room a few nights after they had returned from their honeymoon, he knew that there was something on her mind, based on the pensive look she was giving him. Setting aside the file he was working on, he patted the seat next to him, and she nodded before sitting down, a short exhale of breath escaping her lips as she ran her hands down her thighs. "What's troubling you?"

"I would not classify this as being troubled, Aaron. It's something that Penelope has put in my head, and I have to admit that I am intrigued, but don't know if it's the right step to take in my life."

He contorted his body so that he could look at her, seeing that she was holding onto her tablet. "What has Penelope suggested that you do?"

"I was telling her that I was a bit bored when you're not here, and Jack's in school, even if it's just preschool for right now, and she suggested that I look into furthering my own education. I think that I want to do that, and Penelope said that there is a distinct possibility that if we write my application the correct way, I stand a good chance of getting into a college. It wouldn't be lying, I told her that I couldn't do that, but we came up with a story about my leaving a community that hadn't encouraged me to pursue education beyond high school, and now that I was separated from that way of life, I wanted to see what I could learn. Do, do you think that's a stupid idea?"

He immediately shook his head, giving her a wide smile. "I think that that is a wonderful idea, Erin. What college were you thinking about applying to?"

The smile on her face took his breath away, as if she had anticipated him telling her no. "Penelope suggested that I look at Georgetown University? Apparently, she and Doctor Reid have a few connections there who can help with the admissions process, and perhaps help get me in. I, I have to figure out how to fill out the application, which is why I have the tablet."

"I think that it would be easier on my laptop, actually. The screen is larger, and it's easier to type on a keyboard rather directly on the screen." She nodded and he leaned over, kissing her cheek before getting to his feet and grabbing the laptop from his bag before bringing to over to her, plugging it in before powering it up for her. "All right, I'm assuming that Penelope has also shown you a little of what you have to do?"

"Yes. But you'll help me if I have trouble, right?"

"That's what I'm here for."

Erin let out a little sigh as she began to henpeck at the keyboard. It was painful to watch, but he knew that she was still learning, so he didn't say anything, knowing that it would be better if she learned on her own how to get better at typing, since she would be doing a lot of it when she got into college. Nudging her shoulder a little, he picked up the file he was working on and went back into it, finding something soothing about the way that they worked together. He could almost imagine that in another life, they had worked together, though maybe not always as harmoniously as right this minute.

Eventually, he figured that she had finished most of the application, since she set the laptop on the coffee table and curled her feet beneath her as she watched him continue to work. Erin was quiet, seemingly content to just be in his presence. "If I get in, we can do work together at night. I'm assuming that I am going to have a lot to catch up on, since I'm fairly certain that academic standards have changed since I was in school." Her voice was so quiet that it took him an extra moment to register her words, and then he was nodding as he set the completed file on the coffee table next to the laptop before putting his arm around her shoulders, tugging her closer to his side.

"Well, the great thing about playing catch up is that you'll learn a lot. And given how quickly you've been able to adjust to our time, I don't think that you have anything to worry about. Even getting your vaccines was a breeze."

"I lost a child to measles, Aaron. When Jessica told me about Jack's need for vaccines, and what they were for, I knew that I had to get them as well. If that had been available to me then, I might have had four children to live on through the ages." He nodded before bending his head and kissing her hair. "I don't relish learning how to drive, though."

"We'll figure something out when the time comes, darling."

"I know, I just like to make plans and plans for my plans. You know that." He chuckled as he nodded. "All right, I need to talk to Penelope for the rest, and that will have to wait until tomorrow afternoon. She's stopping by around lunch, with food, and then will help with some of the finer details. Would you like to head up to bed with me?"

"Well, seeing as how I just finished the last file I needed to work on this weekend, I think that we can steal away to bed." She turned her head and pressed her lips to his in a quick kiss before getting to her feet and holding her hand out to him. He clasped it as he got to his feet and then they were heading upstairs to their bedroom. "Let me check in on Jack. I'll be right there."

She nodded before stepping into the bathroom. Once he heard the water turn on, he knew that she was brushing her teeth and getting ready for bed. Smiling, he crossed the hall to peep his head inside Jack's door, seeing that his son was cuddling his teddy bear tightly to his chest as he slept. Heading inside, he crossed over to his son's bed and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead before pulling the covers up a little higher on his body. Exiting the room, he quietly closed the door before heading over to the master bedroom.

Erin was already in her nightgown, brushing out her hair as she hummed lowly beneath her breath. "May I?" he asked as he went to her side and tapped the brush. She nodded and handed it over to him, still humming as he finished brushing her hair, taking care not to rip through any snarls that he found. When that was taken care of, he divided the tresses into two hanks and then quickly braided each hank before wrapping a hair tie around the ends.

"To bed, husband?"

"Yes, wife." He leaned over her shoulder and kissed her cheek before running his hand down her arm to take hold of her hand, letting her guide him to their bed. "I do so love nights like this."

"Even if we're not going to have sex tonight?"

"I'm fine with that. I need to catch up on some sleep, since that last case was a bit brutal."

She nodded as she pulled back the covers and climbed into the bed, scooting across the mattress so that he could join her. "I've noticed that your sleep has been restless lately, and I'm assuming that you're having nightmares of some sort. You need to talk to me, darling, to get it out."

"I don't want to burden you with all the gory details that run around in my brain. I want to protect you from that."

"I'm stronger than I look, Aaron. Just, keep in mind that your beloved wife is always here to listen to you. All right?" She reached out and stroked his cheek gently as she yawned. He nodded and then let his head come to rest against her forehead as he pulled the covers up around them. "I love you, and I just want you to know that I'm here for you."

"I know, Erin," he murmured as he kissed her softly, and they fell asleep together, his arm slung around her waist and holding her close as sleep claimed them.


	33. Chapter 33

Aaron frowned a little at the unfamiliar car in their driveway. He had gotten home a little earlier than planned, and had hoped to spend the afternoon with Erin, since he knew that she didn't have classes after one on Thursdays. Pulling into the garage, he tried not to overreact as he climbed out of the car and entered their house, his hand brushing against the butt of his gun as he walked towards the voices he heard in the kitchen.

"Darling, you're home! I wasn't expecting you to arrive so early, but then again, I forgot to check my phone to see if you had texted. I want you to meet my linguistics professor, Doctor Alex Blake."

He extended his hand towards the woman, who appeared to be the same age as Erin, and she shook it firmly. "Actually, Erin, I believe that we met in passing, many years ago. You work for the BSU, don't you?"

"Well, it's the BAU now, but yes. Did you need our help at some point?" he asked as he went over to the coffee pot and poured himself a cup before taking a seat at the table across from them. Glancing down, he noticed that there were a number of pages spread out there, and he wondered what they were working on.

"Actually, no. I worked there during the Amerithrax case. Unfortunately, my linguistic analysis of the letters that were sent in was not used the way it should have been, and I was the one to take the fall for that mistake. So I went back to the private sector and have taught full time since. You also know my protégé, Spencer Reid."

"Small world," he said before taking a sip of coffee. "What are you helping Erin with?"

"Erin wanted a little more guidance on one of our larger projects for the semester, and I was more than happy to oblige her, when she offered to make coffee for me. That, and I find it admirable that she would want to further her education at this point in her life." There was something in her smile that told Aaron there was more to the situation, and he desperately wanted to ask her what she thought she knew. However, with Erin present, that would not be possible, since he didn't want to make things weird.

"And you just decided to come to our home to do that? You couldn't do it on campus?"

Alex cocked an eyebrow upwards as she shrugged. "I don't have classes today, and rather than ask Erin to wait around on campus for me, I thought that it would be easier to come here. Seriously, if you think that I have bad intentions, call David Rossi, he can vouch for me."

Aaron nodded as he relaxed in his chair a little, continuing to drink his coffee. Erin shot him a tense smile, as if she was embarrassed about the fact that he was grilling Alex, and he made a small gesture of contrition with his hands before pushing away from the table and heading towards the door. "I'll just be in the living room, then, while you work here." Erin nodded as she also relaxed a little, her smile widening for just a moment before she bent back over the book open in front of her. Alex nodded her head sharply at him before he left the room, and he fought hard to keep his step light as he headed into the living room and set his briefcase onto the coffee table before pulling out the files that he needed to work on.

A few minutes later, he heard footsteps behind him, and he set down the paper he was going over before glancing up to see Alex standing in the doorway. "I only have a few moments, since Erin thinks I'm using the bathroom. I want to reiterate to you that I don't have nefarious plans for your wife, but you are right to be questioning my motives. I knew, from the moment she answered my first question of her in class, that she wasn't from this time. Speech patterns are the hardest thing to change and disguise. I'm using her speech patterns to help further my knowledge of the language of that period of American history."

"And you can just accept that?" he asked skeptically.

"My husband works for Doctors Without Borders. There have been stories that he's told me that help me to understand that perhaps the world is not quite as black and white as we would like it to be. And your wife is a delightful woman who I will be glad to call my friend when we finish this class." This time, the smile on her lips was much friendlier, and he felt himself nod in response. "Now, I need to get back to Erin before she wonders where I wandered off to."

"I sort of thought that you had disappeared to talk to my husband, Alex, after the looks that you two exchanged earlier. Are things good between you now?"

Aaron chuckled as he nodded, seeing Alex flush as she also nodded. "I had to clear the air, since we have a similar background. Are you ready to start back on the project?"

"I believe so, yes." Alex nodded before leaving the room, and Erin went over to his side, bending to kiss him tenderly. "Not every person we meet is going to be an unsub, darling. And I think it's sweet that she is trying to cover up the fact that she knows my background by wanting to help me with this project."

"You know that she knows?"

"It's rather difficult not to, when she calls on me more than the other students in our class. I don't mind, since I truly like her, and I do need extra help with this project, since there are some research methodologies that I am not the most familiar with. But I really do need to get back to her, her time is precious, after all. And when we're done, you should be done with the work that you brought home and we could go for a walk around the block?"

"That sounds lovely, Erin," he murmured before kissing her once more. Nodding, Erin waggled her fingers at him before turning and leaving the room. He let out a soft sigh as he went back to the work that he was doing. He shouldn't have been quite so surprised that Erin had known more than she had let on, since she was so quick on her feet, but he had been so worried that Alex was a bad agent that he hadn't truly taken time to consider if Erin had already factored in every possible scenario. And Erin wasn't Haley, when it came down to it. She was a little more fierce than Haley had ever been, and knew how to hold her own.

His phone rang, and he picked it up, seeing Penelope's name on the display. "Hey, Garcia, what can I do for you?"

"You left earlier than I thought you would today, Boss Man!"

"I wanted to get home to my wife, but it turns out we have company at the moment, so I'm currently working on wrapping up the paperwork for the case we just finished. What do you need?"

"I was going to ask if I could drop by after work today, but if you've already had company, you're not going to want to see my face. Is everything good?"

"Yes, Erin's just getting help on her linguistics project. And perhaps you could come over Sunday, when we're done with church? I know that Erin likes visiting with you just as much as I do."

"That sounds like the perfect plan! Except, how about you all drop by my place, and I'll have lunch made for us? That would be one less thing for you to have to worry about."

"I won't say no to that," he replied with a chuckle, making a note on a scrap of paper to remind him of their plans for that day. "Now, I am under a sort of time crunch, since Erin wants me to have this finished by the time Alex heads home. I hate to cut this short, but…"

"Every minute you can spend with her is good. I get it, I feel the same way about Derek." He had to fight his natural inclination to chide her about that, but she seemed to know that she had said a little too much. "You didn't hear that! We're not ready to go through all the red tape that will make our relationship kosher with Cruz. I'll see you Sunday!"

Before he could say another word, Penelope had hung up, and Aaron laughed as he set the phone aside and took a deep breath. Life, it seemed, was getting into a normal rhythm once more, and he found himself looking forward to what their future would bring.


	34. Chapter 34

"I can't believe that we were almost late for this, Hotch! Parking was a nightmare!"

He turned his head to see Penelope plopping down in the empty seat next to him, Derek taking the one of the other side of her. "Yes, and you have no idea how difficult it was for me to save those two seats for you as the venue filled. Any longer, and you probably would have been ushered to the overfill room."

Aaron nodded to Derek, and the younger man grinned as he returned the gesture. "We wouldn't have missed this for the world, man. It is a major accomplishment to go from fish out of water to college graduate in four years. And I already heard from Rossi, he is getting the party set up at his place for as soon as the ceremony is over."

"That's good. Erin said that the whole ceremony should take about ninety minutes, maybe two hours if the commencement speaker rambles on for longer than planned."

Derek and Penelope nodded as they settled back in their seats, the lights coming down as a signal that the ceremony was about to begin. As he stared down at the sea of graduates, he tried to find Erin, but it was impossible, since everyone looked the same in their caps and gowns as they filed in to take their seats. Jack squirmed a little next to him, and Aaron laughed beneath his breath as he reached out to ruffle his hair. His son looked up at him, giving him a quick smile before trying to pay attention to the stage as the first speaker came up to the podium.

It seemed like once the ceremony was under way, all he could focus on was what was happening on stage. Hearing Erin's name made him sit up a little taller, trying to hold back his applause, since they had been asked to wait until the end to acknowledge all students at once in an effort to keep the ceremony running smoothly. Finally, though, all the students were seated once more, and the audience was allowed to applaud, and he watched as Jessica and Jack exuberantly clapped for Erin. Aaron himself had to blink back tears of pride at what is wife had accomplished in four years of hard work and dedication.

The commencement speech was blessedly brief, and he tried not to immediately jump to his feet as the graduates filed out to the sounds of Elgar. "You want to head right out there, don't you?" Penelope asked, and he nodded. "I do, too, but there are so many people thinking the same thing. Trade spots with me, and I'll keep Jack entertained for a little bit while we wait for the teeming masses to clear a little."

"That is probably for the best," he replied as he stood, letting Penelope scoot over into his seat while he took hers. Turning to face Derek, he gave the man a small smile before taking a short breath. "Thanks for coming to this. Dave decided that he couldn't afford to be here and leave the event planner on her own at his place."

"He just wants to make certain that everything goes perfectly today. I get it, he's been your best friend for years, so of course he wants to honor your family this way. And Baby Girl may have hooked up his computer so that he could watch the ceremony from home. It wouldn't be the best quality, but he could still be here in spirit while getting things ready at his house."

"I see." A warm flush of happiness spread across his chest at the thoughtfulness of the gesture. Penelope had become a dear friend to their family over the course of the last four years, and he found himself so grateful for the love and attention she had given Erin, especially when he had been away.

"What time am I supposed to be at Rossi's again?"

He looked up to see Alex standing in the row in front of them, a wide smile on her lips. "He said that if we were all there by two, that should give him enough time to have everything ready. It's just after one, so if you were to head over now, you should be good. I think that we're going to try and find Erin and get some pictures here before we head over there."

The woman nodded before looking away from him. "Do you think that I could join you for that? I can take the pictures, so that everyone is included."

Aaron smiled at her as he rose to his feet. "I think that she'd like that, Alex, especially since you were her academic advisor for the last three years. You've been just as much a part of her life as we all are, so it makes sense that you join us for this."

Jack wormed his way past Penelope to take hold of his hand as they followed Derek into the aisle and then they were heading out into the foyer. It seemed like a good number of the people were already gone, and so he was easily able to make out Erin's familiar shape standing by the bank of windows. Tightening his grip on Jack's hand, he picked up his pace and quickly reached her, slipping his arm around her waist and pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. "Aaron, you finally made it out here."

"We wanted to let the others clear out a bit before braving the crowds. Alex is coming to take pictures with us, since I thought it would be nice to include her before she heads over to Dave's." The smile Erin gave him told him that he'd made the right decision there. "I am so proud of you, darling."

"I'm proud of myself." She leaned up and kissed him softly, and Aaron heard Penelope coo a little, somehow knowing that she had managed to capture that moment on her camera. "All right, Penny, enough gawking at us. I thought we were going to take photographs?"

"I have been, Erin. Candids are the best." Penelope winked at him before gesturing for them to assemble as a family. It didn't take long for them to get all the pictures taken that they wanted, and thanks to another kind attendee, they were able to have everyone in the picture, too, something which he knew Erin would be grateful for when they got them developed. "All right, we're going to head out, and meet you at Rossi's. Oh, god, Erin, I am so so proud at what you've accomplished!" Penelope hugged his wife tightly before grinning at him as she took hold of Derek's hand and left the building.

"I suppose that's my cue to head out as well. See you all soon!" Alex said as she gave them a small wave. Erin nodded and held out her hand to the woman, only for her to shake her head and embrace her warmly. "We're colleagues now, Erin. There's no need to be so formal."

Erin blushed a little as she nodded, and Hotch felt his brow furrow a little at that remark. As soon as Alex was a good ways away from them, he turned to look at his wife, his face still wearing a questioning look. "What did she mean by colleagues?"

"I was accepted into the Masters program that she heads, and I'll be her TA in the fall. If all goes well, I'll move right from that into my PhD. Imagine that, me, a doctor of sorts! And it would never have happened if you hadn't awakened me with your kiss. I will be forever grateful for the curse that brought us together, Aaron. It brought me my greatest joy." Erin smiled at him before leaning up and kissing him soundly, and he kissed her back, in total agreement with her words.


End file.
